My Boys Drabbles
by Jordan202
Summary: This is a series of Omelia One Shots based on prompts I receive. It's set in 'My Boys' Universe, but can also be read as independent Omelia One Shots. #OMELIA
1. My Beginning

Hi Guys!

So, for a while now I had the idea of posting one-shots set in this universe (My Boys). They can be read as **independent Omelia One Shots** even for those who haven't read 'My Boys' and the sequel 'Better Days'.

The ideas will come from prompts I get on my tumblr (jordan202) and the timeline is up to the senders. Could be anytime between Omelia first starts and the end of the My Boys Better Days.

 **Prompt:** _"Hi! So, I was rewatching 11x10 and that scene where Amelia says "I miss having a man in my bed. Facing away from each other, barely touching, except for the arm thrown over your waist. When I'd wake up in the middle of the night, terrified of me, I liked knowing he was there." well, something like that. Can anyone write this now that Amelia is married to Owen? Maybe waking up with nightmares and Owen being there for her? Very sweet and fluffy, please."_

 **Timeline in 'My Boys Universe'** : Six months after Omelia's wedding.

 **My beginning**

"I miss sleeping with a man in my bed. You know, facing away from each other, barely touching, except for just the arm thrown over your waist. When I'd wake up at night terrified of… me. I liked knowing he was there. That I wasn't by myself." – Amelia Shepherd, 11x10.

Amelia dragged her feet into the house, completely taken over by exhaustion. It had been a rough day, one of the roughest she remembered having in the past years.

She picked a bottle of water from the fridge and took a long sip, realizing for the first time she hadn't had anything to eat or drink for the past fourteen hours. The thought made Amelia go through all the events of that had happened during that very long day.

Her morning had started with a consult in the NICU. A full term infant with a congenital malformation required urgent surgery, and Amelia had rescheduled her entire day to work exclusively on the baby. First, a correction of myelomeningocele, and then the placement of a ventriculoperitonial shunt to drain the excessive fluid and correct the baby's hydrocephalus. The case had taken a particular toll on Amelia, seeing as she had constantly been assaulted by memories of her late baby throughout the entire day.

The baby's mother's pain was far too familiar. She felt like she could relate entirely. And during the entire day, she had fought, dribbling past hemorrhages and other post op complications, only to be rewarded with a good outcome. When Amelia had left the NICU, minutes past midnight, there lay a baby stable enough to fight for his life and make it through the condition with manageable consequences only.

Feeling too tired to even eat, Amelia undressed as she made her way through the dark corridor to the bedroom. Her shoes and clothes were thrown somewhere along the way, as she put on a top to match her panties and got on the bed.

Owen was fast sleep and he didn't move a muscle when she joined him. Amelia lay on her side, facing him. A soft smile formed on the corner of her lips as she outlined his light eyebrows with her index finger. Owen looked like a little boy in his sleep, his face relaxed, void of any tension, any worry. She loved seeing him looking so peaceful.

Amelia couldn't believe they had been married for six months. The best six months of her life, honestly. She and Owen had gotten married on the spur of the moment, and once the deed was done, Amelia started to doubt if they would actually work out together.

But every day, she was positively surprised. As the days progressed, she could feel their bond tighten and she started to learn more about him as she taught him more about her. Now Amelia knew his favorite color. She could easily identify by the tone on his voice when he was tired, or sad, or craving sex. She had a partner in crime to watch silly action movies with, and laugh about them. And she'd never had to feel alone again.

Owen shifted gently, slowly waking up with her touch.

"It's me," She whispered, gently caressing his hair "Go back to sleep."

Owen opened his eyes, and Amelia could identify the two crystal blue globes even in the darkness of the room.

"Hey," He smiled at her, not fully awake "How was the surgery? It took you a while."

As he asked her a question, Amelia felt his arm being gently thrown around her waist to lazily rest there.

"It was alright," Amelia felt exhaustion start to consume her. She had thought about sleeping in the on call room at the hospital, but she knew she wouldn't be able to. Not tonight. Not after the memories of her late son and the bad dreams she was likely to have. She needed to not be alone, to be with someone. And more than that, she needed that someone to be Owen.

Before Amelia finally gave in to exhaustion, she noticed with a smile that Owen was already fast asleep again. They were hardly touching, except for his arm around her waist. And that was all she needed to completely relax that night.

.

Owen woke up the following morning and let his eyes adjust to the few sunlight rays that entered the room. He felt Amelia's presence by his side, snuggling up next to him. During the night, she had rolled over to his side, wrapping one leg around his thigh and involving him with one of her arms.

He took a deep breath, slowly regaining consciousness. His eyes glanced at Amelia's hand resting on his chest. Owen smiled and immediately captured her hand with his, studying it closely. His wife had a tiny hand, with long delicate fingers. It was so small and yet, so powerful. Owen held on to the hand that could perform miracles, gently kissing it before placing it back on his chest. Noticing the gold wedding band on her finger, he smiled widely. He had never given Amelia an engagement ring, because she had proposed to him. But it was past time he took care of that. She deserved everything, and he was determined to give her the world.

Owen turned his head to the side, silently watching her. Amelia slowly opened her eyes, and when she realized he had been staring at her, she greeted him with a teasing smile.

"Hey creeper," She joked, making him laugh.

Owen didn't bother to reply. He leaned in and captured her lips with his. When Amelia willingly welcomed his kiss, his tongue parted her lips and she moaned with the sensual invasion. Owen rolled over to his side, nearly covering her body with his. When he finally broke their kiss, his hand traveled to her hair, digging through the mass of dark brown curls he loved so much.

"I missed you last night," He stated, burying his face on the curve of her neck.

"Ugh, it was such a long day," Amelia confessed, checking the clock on the nightstand. It was nearly 7 am. She usually woke up earlier than him, but she had been so tired that she slept deeply during the entire night. No more waking up terrified of herself anymore, she realized. "You know, there's something I've been meaning to talk to you about."

"Yeah?" Owen answered to let her know he was listening. He couldn't get himself to lift his head to face her. She was too delicious for him to break his touch.

Amelia wrapped both arms around his torso, feeling his weight on her.

"I want to add your name to mine."

Owen was silent for a second, digesting the news. When it finally sunk in, he brought his head up to face her. Amelia noticed the silly smile on his lips and the question stamped in his eyes. Unsurprisingly, she got ahead of him.

"Well, I was thinking about it for quite a while now… You know, I can't replace my last name because at work I'm Dr. Shepherd, and in my career I will alwaysbe Dr. Shepherd. It has a special meaning to me, and we both know it. But when it's just us, when it's you and me, I want us to be a team too."

"Team Hunt?" Owen teased with a smile, making her chuckle.

"Yes!" Amelia confirmed, her eyes shining bright with satisfaction "You are my family now, Owen. I know it sounds silly and overrated and most couples don't do it nowadays, but I've had my share of original and innovative. I don't want to be different anymore. I want to be boring and traditional and completely normal…" Amelia rambled, seeing his smile grow by each word she spoke "I want our kids to have our family name. The same name, for all of us. I want the people in the neighborhood to call me Mrs Hunt when they see our mailbox outside. I want the white picket fence and the good school district. I don't need anything more than the regular stuff. The real stuff. I want to be annoyingly ordinary. With you."

"Our kids?" Owen still couldn't get past the fact she had said that.

"Yes," Amelia confirmed with a smile, seeing the look of utter satisfaction in his eyes "When will you put a baby inside of me?" She asked tenderly, crushing his heart with emotions Owen never knew he was capable of feeling.

Being a father was his biggest dream. And Amelia was willing to make it come true. He didn't remember loving anyone or anything more than he loved her at that moment.

"Right now," He whispered against her lips, feeling her mellow beneath him "I will put a baby inside of you right now."

.

Six weeks later, Amelia found out she was pregnant with their first child. When she broke the news to Owen, she could swear he had tears in his eyes.

"Owen?" She tried to bring him back to reality, seeing his state of complete shock. "Babe, I told you I am pregnant. You're going to be a father. Owen!"

Amelia was startled when he left her talking and disappeared into the hallway. Frowning with worry, Amelia was about to follow him to find out what was going on when she bumped into him on her way out of the living room.

"Amelia," Owen said, struggling to find the right words. He had never been good with speeches. They were usually her thing. But she deserved that he at least tried. "I am so, so happy," He held her in his arms and kissed her until they were both breathless. "Here," He said, picking a box from his pocket. Apparently, that had been the reason he had left the room in the middle of the greatest news Amelia ever remembered sharing with anyone "A while ago you said you wanted to be boring with me. But you're not boring, babe," He smiled, unable to hold his tears anymore "You're absolutely incredible and unpredictable and untamable… And I love you," He added, kissing her on the forehead "You asked me to marry you, once again going against tradition. But well, I thought it was time you had some tradition in your life, since you want it so much," Owen laughed, opening the small navy blue velvet box.

Amelia couldn't believe her eyes when she saw the sparkling diamond. She looked up from it to Owen's smile and watched in awe as he slid it on her finger, placing it next to her wedding ring.

"You've given me the greatest gift you could ever give me," Owen said, placing his hand on her belly where their baby was growing "I had this in my drawer for a while, saved for this exact moment. You have no idea how much I've dreamed of this, Amelia. And I want you to know that I will always, always¸ be here for you. For the two of you. This is a promise." He said, pointing to the ring.

Amelia hugged him, feeling his strong arms involve her with ease. She couldn't begin to describe how happy she was. She loved Owen so much it felt her heart would explode inside her chest.

"You are here," She stated. "And we are going to have to a baby. We're gonna be parents, Owen." She still couldn't believe it.

He smiled adoringly at her. This was everything he had ever wanted.

Amelia smiled back, knowing this was just the beginning. Sure, when the thrill of the news was gone, she would probably be scared and imagine the millions of things that could go wrong. She would stress over every detail and lose many nights of sleep worrying about the new baby. Their baby. But deep down inside, she knew everything would work out. Owen was there. He was there, and she could count on him, for everything. He was her family, her best friend, her favorite person.

And now, Amelia finally knew she never had to feel like she was by herself anymore.

.

I hope you guys liked it !


	2. Pest Infestation

Hi Guys!

Here goes another that I'd already written.

 **Prompts:** Amelia and Owen face a pest infestation / Amelia and Owen married before they had kids.

 **Timeline in 'My Boys Universe':** Three weeks after Omelia's wedding.

 **My Boys: Pest Infestation**

Amelia distractedly hummed to a song on the radio while going through boxes of her personal belongings. She was having a rare day off, but instead of using it to rest like she had originally planned, she'd decided to give the house a much needed fix.

Ever since she married Owen, about three weeks before, and they moved into the new house, they had barely had any time to unpack their stuff and put everything in its proper place. They hadn't even bought any furniture, still living on the few things both owned before their wedding and that was starting to become a real problem.

Amelia thought shopping for new furniture was long overdue. They couldn't keep using their limited free time just enjoying the moment anymore. It was important they also planned ahead like responsible adults. And that included not only owning a grown up house, but also filling it with real furniture instead of only folding chairs and makeshift tables.

Long ago, when she was still a surgical resident, she'd realized that to complete a task, it was better to have a laid out plan first. With that thought in mind, she decided she would unpack all the objects they had and sort them in the right places so she would know exactly what to buy when she and Owen finally had some free time together that could be used for that purpose.

She had already finished the kitchen and the living room when she decided to do the bedroom. She was happily singing along to the lyrics on her playlist when all of a sudden she couldn't help letting out a loud scream of exasperation.

She had bent down to clean the floor beneath the bed and right before her eyes, she could clearly see the path of destruction on the wood. The bed wasn't exactly new, it was the same bed she used while living at Meredith's house, but it wasn't old either. She could easily spot the tunneling throughout the inside wood of the piece, making her eyes grow wide with disbelief.

Hours had passed before Owen made it back home but Amelia was so concentrated on her task she didn't hear him entering the room.

"Amelia?" Owen asked with an evident frown on his face. His wife was lying on her back, the upper half of her body hidden beneath the bed while she moved her hands like a plumber beneath a sink. Their mattress and linens were thrown on one corner of the spacious room, completely put aside. "What are you doing in there?"

"Can you believe we have _termites_?" Amelia was still in shock by the discovery. How had she not seen this before? They had just moved the bed to the new house not yet a month before.

"Termites?" Owen asked with surprise, bending down to see what she was doing, but he didn't hear back from her. She was as concentrated on the task as she usually was during surgery. "Amelia?"

Still, no reply. Owen leaned over a little further, trying to catch any glimpse of her face, but when he couldn't, he splayed both his hands on her round thighs, gently grabbing them and pulling her body towards his with ease, making her slide from beneath the bed to a place where he could look her in the eyes.

His first reaction was to laugh. Amelia's face was covered in dust and her hair had tiny woodchips. That was a complete contrast to her usual serious, clean self, which always made quite an impression in the OR.

Those were the moments that made life with her incredible, Owen thought. Everyone could see professional, centered Amelia. But he was the only one privy to her intimacy, the only one who could see her trying to fix a wood bar infested with termites with such fierce determination, while acting like that was a seriously important task.

"What do you think you are doing?" Owen immediately frowned when he saw a box of matches in her hand.

"I am fixing the problem," Amelia looked at him like it was obvious.

"You are going to set the entire house on fire," Owen argued, not believing her. What was she thinking? "Give me that!"

As Owen reached out his hand to grab the box of matches, Amelia slipped from beside him, hiding it from his grasp.

"It's the best way to kill them," She justified, looking back at Owen like he was the crazy one, "I am just gonna kill the ones who are tunneling and then I'll put the fire out with the extinguisher" She pointed at the red object on the side of the bed with her eyes.

"How the hell did you ever think this was a good idea?" Owen's eyes were wide with shock, honestly not believing her. She could have killed herself and he was having a hard time realizing she was actually serious "Get out of there, we'll throw this bed in the trash and get a new one. You are _not_ gonna set fire to anything."

"Owen!" Amelia protested when he forcefully took the match box from her hand and got up, taking it away from her reach "There is already a bunch of stuff we have to buy, a new bed is not on the list!"

"I'll pay for it."

"That is not the issue," Amelia replied with outrage, still fighting him for the box of matches "Give it to me!"

Amelia jumped on his back from behind, wrapping her arms on his shoulder to try to steal the matchbox back, but Owen was much bigger and stronger and easily dodged her. It was ridiculous how easily he could get the object out of her reach and it only added to Amelia's frustration.

"Owen!" She insisted, stretching her arm to get the box and nearly knocking them both over. "Damn it!"

"You're choking me!" He resisted, unhooking her arms from around his neck.

"Sorry!" Amelia automatically said, letting go of his neck only to go around him and try to forcefully open his hand. "Stop!" She commanded, frustrated that he was so much stronger.

"Are we seriously going to fight over a matchbox?" Owen asked, laughing at her insistence. His palm was still closed with the box inside and she was still trying to grab his fingers to open his hand.

"It's _not_ about the matchbox," Amelia explained, failing to get the object "It's about you not letting me do things my way,"

"You can do anything your way, as long as it doesn't involve arson," Owen explained, using his best condescending voice to intentionally annoy her.

It worked. Amelia suddenly dropped the fight and quickly left the room, making Owen chase after her. Before she could reach the middle of the corridor, he held her by the waist, lifting her from the ground.

"You're not gonna get another matchbox from the kitchen," He started to laugh at how childish she was being "Amelia!"

Amelia tried to get rid of his grasp but she was already laughing.

"You won't let me fix our bed!" She cried out, purposely turning her head sideways when his lips aimed for hers, avoiding his kiss. He made her so angry sometimes!

"And you won't let me fix your stubborn head," Owen teased. He couldn't be mad at her, even when she had those insane ideas.

His arms were still firmly wrapped around her and she knew there was no escaping, but Amelia didn't bother to try.

"Will you please help me fix the bed?" She tried a different approach. Now she thought about it, setting a "contained" fire probably wouldn't have been the best idea. But Amelia was too impulsive for her own good. She always had been.

"I will," Owen said "Better yet, I'll take you out shopping and you can choose a new one."

Amelia sighed with discontent. That's not what she had originally planned or wanted. That bed had been her bed ever since she had moved to Seattle and somehow, it made her think of her life back at the Dream House while she still lived with Derek. It had belonged to her brother once, even if he had never used it, leaving it in the guest bedroom. But it was one of the few possessions she had that had once been his and letting go of it was hard.

"Fine," She finally gave in, with a sigh. "But you're still paying," She teased, before standing on the tip of her toes to at last kiss him on the lips.

.

"So, what color do you have in mind?" Amelia happily asked, as she grabbed Owen's elbow inside the furniture store, pulling him to the direction of the bedroom section.

"Hmm," Owen pretended to be thinking while he looked around. He really had no idea and he didn't mind, she could choose whichever one she liked, but he could never say that for the risk of sounding uninterested. "What's your favorite color?"

"We can't really buy a red bed, Owen." Amelia nearly rolled her eyes "What do you think?" She looked at the variety of displays.

"How about that one?" He pointed to a random bed.

"Na," Amelia quickly disregarded it.

He already knew how that was going to play out. She would insist he helped picking, but she would say no to all his choices, finally settling for one of her own. He didn't mind that all, as long as she just chose one. He was hungry and wanted to go have dinner.

Amelia made him see and try at least half a dozen different beds. Owen felt a bit guilty of how bored he was. It really didn't matter to him if the bed was white or brown, or if had a panel or not. He was thinking about suggesting they tried that again after dinner when he heard Amelia excitedly squealing beside him.

"Look," She said, hurrying to one of the beds, where she promptly sat, bouncing on the mattress. The piece had a dark brown outline, with detailed handmade carvings. It was simple, elegant and very spacious.

Owen watched with pride the happiness stamped on her face.

"If you like it, it's yours," He smiled at her, contaminated by her mirth. His hands were in the pockets of his jackets while he joyfully looked at her, satisfied with how happy she seemed.

Owen tilted his head, still hypnotized by her approving smile when Amelia stretched out one hand for him to hold, clearly inviting him to join her.

Owen happily obliged and when he sat down beside her, Amelia pushed his shoulder, making him lie down next to her.

"What do you think?" She shifted on her side, so she could get a better view of his face. Amelia knew Owen wasn't a shopper like she was, on the contrary, he was the typical guy who would avoid the mall with his life if he could. But he was sucking it up for her, and that made her love him even more.

"I think it's comfortable," Owen moved, adding more pressure to the mattress on purpose. It felt like he was being hugged because the mattress had the perfect proportion of softness and support. "Really comfortable," He added, contagiously looking at her so she could know he meant it.

"Good!" Amelia approved, playfully bouncing "It better be comfortable, we'll spend a third of the rest of our lives here."

She had distractedly said it, still busy on playfully testing the new bed, but the thought immediately vanished Owen's silly smile from his lips. He frowned, looking at her much more seriously.

Up until now, he hadn't realized the importance or significance of the bed. Being used to sleeping on whatever bed he had available, Owen had never really cared much about that.

But this was different. This was the beginning of a new life. He was building it _with_ Amelia and it was absolutely important they had not only comfort, but partnership and trust. He would be coming home every day to that bed, to that woman, and it was a priority that they had a comfortable place where they could hold and love each other every night.

The bed was the place where they would probably spend more time alone together and Owen wanted it to be the best.

"What?" Amelia noticed the estranged look on his face.

Owen gave her a heartily smile and tried his best to explain:

"I was just thinking, we have to get a bed we both really like," He said. Amelia looked at him like that was pretty obvious, so he just proceeded "I really like this bed." He said, emphatically.

"Me too," Amelia agreed and after a few seconds, she gave him a mischievous look.

"Amelia?" Owen noticed she was about to do something inappropriate.

"Let's see if it can handle our power!" She laughed out loud, getting up on the bed with a quick move and immediately jumping up and down. "You know, for when things get rough late at night!" She winked at him, indiscreetly.

"Amelia! For God's sake, get down!" Owen tried to pull her by the arm and from distance he saw a store clerk swiftly walking in their direction.

"Are you afraid you're getting into trouble?" She teased him, completely ignoring his plea.

"Ma'am," The store clerk approached "Ma'am, I'm sorry, but jumping on the bed is not allowed," The young man said, obviously uncomfortable with the situation.

"It's okay, buddy," Amelia stopped and finally got off the bed, to the guy's relief "Wrap it up, because we are taking it home!" She cheerfully said, smiling broadly.

The young clerk was left smiling ear to ear with his fat commission after Amelia had asked for his help also with a new set of couches for the living room and a dinner table. She had offered to split the cost, but Owen didn't allow her, insisting he was a man of his word, so she settled for buying them dinner instead.

.

A couple of weeks later, Amelia was supposed to be at home relaxing while Owen had a weekend shift. That's why he was startled when he saw her hurrying inside the ER, with a desperate look on her face.

Owen immediately thought the worst and hurried in her direction, wondering what could have happened to justify that late night visit to the emergency department.

"Owen!" She quickly called him out, walking in with her casual clothes "You have to help me!"

"What happened?" He quickly approached her, seeing how distressed she looked.

"You're not going to believe this!" Amelia said, her forehead frowned with worry and fear "Babe, you gotta come home with me!"

"Why, what happened?" Owen repeated his question, worried to death, already following her to the ER exit.

"There's a giant cockroach in our kitchen!" Amelia said in a disaster-like tone of voice "And it can _fly_!" She added, absolutely serious.

"What?" Owen stopped walking immediately.

"You gotta come with me!" Amelia insisted.

"Did you just seriously drive all the way here to get me home because you _found a cockroach_?" Owen didn't know if he should be mad or laugh.

"I didn't come get you because I found it," She justified, almost offended "I had to come here because I _lost_ it." She said, again very seriously. "How do you expect me to sleep tonight with that gruesome animal loose in the house?"

"Amelia," Owen tried to be reasonable "There are actually sick people here. They need my help."

"Well, you made a vow to me, so now keep it," She bargained, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

Jackson Avery stood at the end of the nurses station, watching the scene play out in front of him with a flagrant smile on his lips. He quickly pressed the lock button on the tablet he had in his hands, laughing as he saw Owen running his hand through his hair, obviously sighing heavily.

"I can't believe this," He approached the newlywed couple "Amelia Shepherd, the one who operates on inoperable tumors is afraid of a small cockroach?"

"It's not small," Amelia said in her defense "And it was attacking me. Making fun of me."

"How was the roach _making fun_ of you?" Owen asked, ironically.

"Well, it was flying in my direction when I tried to kill it!" Amelia lost all her patience, seeing he was making fun of her "You know what, if you won't help me I'll find some other way to do it."

Owen immediately thought about the termite incident, and how she would have probably burned down the entire house if he hadn't made it home in time. He couldn't risk letting Amelia come up with another one of her insane ideas again.

"I'll help," He gave in, rolling his eyes "My shift ends in an hour, just wait around and I'll go home with you."

Amelia seemed satisfied but her attention went back to Jackson as he suggested:

"Nah, man, just go home, it's a slow night and I got it covered. I'm waiting for April, anyway," He added with a smile. Jackson and April had only recently rekindled their romance, taking things slow while they cared for their baby daughter. As April liked to say, they were "dating" again.

"You sure?" Owen asked, feeling grateful.

"Yeah, just go," Jackson gave them a small nod and saw them off with a smile.

.

"I still can't believe you went to the hospital because of this," Owen said as he pushed the insect's corpse to the toilet and flushed it. Now that the situation was over, he was starting to laugh at it, especially because Amelia was obviously overly upset about it.

"It's not funny," She protested, completely crossed. "I was in real danger and you're making fun of me."

"Real danger?" Owen lifted one of his eyebrows, satisfied when she turned her back at him, obviously irritated.

A couple of minutes went by while Owen planned his next move. He waited until Amelia was back in the kitchen and silently approached her from behind, smoothly running a light kitchen brush on her naked shoulder.

Amelia let out a scream of utter terror when she jumped from the floor, thinking it was the cockroach running on her body.

Owen burst out laughing at her terror, and she immediately went from startled and disgusted to completely angry, nearly spitting fire on him.

"I'm sorry, babe, I couldn't help it," Owen said with tenderness, approaching her but Amelia got away from him.

"Don't talk to me," She said very seriously, feeling embarrassed and irritated.

"It was just a prank," Owen justified, going after her.

"Don't ever joke about cockroaches," She said very seriously, sounding offended.

Owen wrapped his arms around her, despite her protests and he kissed her repeatedly on the face even though she tried to escape his embrace.

"I'm sorry," He apologized, looking adoringly at her "I already know you're gonna get back at me probably with a much lower hit," He teased.

It took Amelia a few seconds, but she finally caved, letting a smile grow on the corner of her lips.

"Yeah, I will," She agreed, her eyes shining with the promise.

"Take it easy on me," Owen playfully asked, leaning over to steal a kiss.

Amelia resisted at first but gave in to his insistence, letting her lips part to welcome his tongue. His arms involved her waist, gently lifting her from the ground while he kept on kissing her, taking his time to enjoy the sensation when she finally surrendered.

"Don't bite," Owen playfully said when her lips parted, ready to resume kissing him again.

"I won't," Amelia tenderly smiled back, crossing her hands behind his back when she involved his hips on a tight embrace.

She let Owen kiss her again, loving the way he explored her body with his hands while he seductively ignited desire on her body.

"Let's take advantage of the fact that I am already home," He suggested "And go test our new bed's resistance again."

"Alright," Amelia agreed, playfully biting his lower lip "But seriously… Thanks for killing that monster. You're my knight in shining armor." She joked.

"It's okay," Owen adoringly gave her a kiss on the tip of her nose and rubbed her back with his hand beneath her shirt "I'm just glad you didn't try to set anything on fire this time,"

Amelia laughed and followed him to their bedroom. Now, more than ever, they had a great reason to spend every available time in there.

And that was exactly what they planned to do.

.

R&R is always welcome :)


	3. Foul Mood

**Ok Guys, here goes another:**

 **Prompt:** N/A (this is an idea I had while writing My Boys: Better Days but didn't really fit the storyline back then).

 **Timeline:** A few months after the end of My Boys: Better Days.

 **.**

 **Foul Mood**

Amelia let out a heavy sigh for the third time that afternoon. She had told her kids she would be there on time for their soccer game, but one of the attendings on her department was on a sick leave and all the best residents had been assigned to plastics and ortho that week, leaving her with a bunch of rookie interns who couldn't tell left from right. That only added to her frustration about having to attend a social event in their children's new stuck up school.

Today would be her sons' first game in the independent little league, hosted by the Seattle Private Schools Athletic Association. Amelia hated how big and preppy the name sounded. If it were up only to her, she would let her kids go to public school until it was time to start worrying about college, but Owen felt differently. He was adamant on making sure their children had the best education possible from the start, and after consulting with the other parents, they had enrolled her eldest boys on top rated preparatory academy.

Owen and Amelia had needed "letters or recommendations", which by itself already had made Amelia hate the school. But Owen was insistent they should fill all the requirements, so he had Arizona Robbins, Alex Karev and April Kepner, whose kids attended the same school, write their recommendations and finally, earlier that semester, Lucas and Thomas had been accepted to the school.

Amelia had missed out on most of the social events of the parents, for there were too many. She had grown up in that kind of school environment and hated how arrogant and conceited most people related to it were. She didn't expect this time around to be any different.

A couple of weeks ago, when the parents committee had sent her an email inviting her and Owen to a parents' reunion to discuss about the school's athletic uniform, she had on purpose scheduled a craniotomy fifteen minutes before the event, rejoicing in sending Owen by himself to what she knew would be a social competition. It had been his idea to send their kids to that school, after all.

Deep down, Amelia knew that education-wise, it really was the best option for the boys. But she really hated the package that came with it, starting with the competition among the parents, especially the moms. She could foresee them having superficial conversations, comparing their fortunes, talking about their mansions. She had no time or patience for any of that. All she wanted was for her children to grow up healthy and happy, regardless of how many times a year they went abroad or if they were getting horse riding lessons.

"Dr. Shepherd?" One of the nurses approached the table behind the station she had been using to fill up charts.

" _What?_ " Amelia snapped, still thinking about the school event she would have to endure today. She noticed the offended look on the older woman's voice and apologized "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to sound rude."

"It's okay," The nurse appreciated her change of behavior "Dr. Bailey asked me to tell you she needs an update on Dr. Edwards's sick leave asap."

Amelia let out another heavy sigh. Great. Now on top of all things she had to do, she would have to report to the chief of surgery about her employee's absence before leaving work. Of all the worst moments to do that, Bailey had chosen specifically today. If she missed that game, her sons would be heartbroken. Feeling completely irritated, Amelia finished her paperwork in less than half an hour and rushed to Bailey's office.

Feeling grateful for Evelyn Hunt and for being able to count on her to go pick up the twins and Megan, Amelia parked her car across her oldest kids' new school five minutes before the game was set to start. She rushed through the mass of parents and relatives, easily spotting Owen's figure in the middle of the crowd.

He greeted her with a quick kiss and helped her take off her jacket, pointing to the seat next to him with his eyes.

"I almost thought you weren't gonna make it," He whispered, with something that resembled relief "Where were you?"

"With my secret lover," Amelia replied impatiently, laughing at his perplexed expression "Where do you think I was? Held up at work, of course," She said, shifting on the seat to grab some of his popcorn.

Her gaze then traveled to the soccer field and on the grass she saw Lucas and Thomas dressed in blue and green uniforms, looking very sharp as they heard their coach giving the pre game pep talk. A couple of rows down, she spotted Jo and Alex Karev, and waved back at them, using her hand as a shield to protect her eyes from the intense lights of the reflectors, so she could look for their daughter Kate amidst the other kids on the other side of the field.

"There's Kate, look," Owen pointed to Karev's daughter, running on the field side by side with Thomas.

"Tom talks about her every day," Amelia said, realizing the girl had become Thomas's favorite friend ever since her son had joined the school.

The game started, and most of the parents started to encourage their kids. Instead of playing another school, the kids were playing among themselves in sorted teams.

Lucas was really talented, Amelia realized, seeing him dribble past other players and firmly shoot the ball in the exact direction of the goal. Thomas, on the other hand, seemed to be having a hard time getting his foot on the ball.

"Look at Tom," Amelia laughed, watching him bump into another kid, struggling to keep his balance "He is a disaster at this."

"So much for being a supportive parent," Owen teased her, but laughed along. Thomas really had no talent for soccer.

"Owen!" A sweet, musical voice interrupted their banter.

Amelia looked up and saw a blonde woman who was at least five inches taller than her standing up next to her husband, greeting him excitedly. Her blue eyes were sparkling with joy at his sight and her perfectly chiseled face was glowing with admiration.

"Hey, Diana," Owen smiled back, inviting her to take the seat on his right, to prevent her from blocking the other parents' views, "How have you been?"

"I am great!" She touched his arm as she replied, which didn't go unnoticed to Amelia "I am happy you made it today. Missy loves your sons," She added, amicably, and for the sake of good manners her eyes traveled to Amelia's face for the first time "Hi" She said excitedly "You must be Lucas and Thomas's mom! It's so nice to finally see you at school!"

The subtle critic didn't go unnoticed either, and Amelia forced a smile as she looked at the woman.

"I am," She didn't bother to stretch her hand, or offer any excuses as to why she had been missing the latest reunions. "It's nice to be able to come," She lied, trying not to sound impolite, even though her biggest desire was to ignore the woman.

She knew the type. Stunning blonde. Thick southern accent. Probably married to a high ranked executive. Undoubtedly the head of the parents committee, Amelia thought.

"Diana is the head of the parents committee," Owen explained to his wife, noticing the subtleties on her face. He knew Amelia didn't like the woman at first glance, and he knew the information he was sharing would make his wife sympathize even less. "She was the one to kindly welcome me and introduce me to all the other parents on my first day," He explained their acquaintance.

Diana smiled broadly and said suggestively:

"Yes, and when you are able to come to our reunions, eh, Amelia, isn't it?" She hesitated, but Amelia was sure she probably already knew all the details of her life, "You will be very welcome. The other parents will love you!" Diana went on. Amelia shared a quick look with Owen and in those split seconds, he knew his wife seriously doubted the other mom "It's great for the children when the parents are engaged with the social events, it really helps them flourish at school."

Amelia wanted to point out her children weren't seasonal plants, but when she looked at Diana, the woman's eyes were fixated on Owen.

"It was great seeing you, as usual, Owen," She blinked her eyes at him and then looked again at Amelia "I hope to see you more often, Amelia. If ya'll excuse me, I have to go check on with the rest of the committee."

When she was out of hearing range, Amelia repeated, scowling.

" _The rest of the committee,_ " The irony was evident on her voice "Bitch."

"Amelia!" Owen reprimanded her, not getting why she was so worked up about this. He looked around to make sure other people hadn't listened. "Diana was trying to be nice, why are you always so difficult?"

"She was just trying to be nice?" Amelia blinked her eyes repeatedly, imitating Diana's flirty manners "For God's sake, Owen, she was undressing you with her eyes!"

" _What?"_ Owen asked with disbelief, completely sure Amelia was seeing too much into that.

Amelia left a sigh and rolled her eyes at him. How could he not have noticed? Owen could be so blind!

"Don't you think you might be seeing too much into this?" He asked, paying more attention to the game than to Amelia's imagination.

"No," When Amelia realized he was disregarding the subject and refusing to pay attention to her, she grabbed his jaw with her hand and forced him to look at her "Owen!"

He gave her an exasperated look and sighed too.

"You're insane," He decided, proudly. "The woman was just being nice."

"You are so blind," Amelia nodded disapprovingly and let go of him "I won't bring it up again, until you come to me admitting I was right."

Owen didn't dignify her comment with a response and instead took her hand, giving it a kiss before keeping it firmly joined to his on his lap. They sat quietly, watching the rest of the match. When it was over, Amelia ran to the field to greet her kids, kneeling down to welcome their sweaty embraces.

"Oh, you guys were so great!" She smiled at them, kissing Lucas's cheeks repeatedly. Amelia looked up at Thomas, high on Owen's arms and blew a kiss at him too "Baby, you were the best midfielder mom has ever seen playing," She lied.

Thomas had been sure he hadn't done great but he believed everything his mom said, so if she had told him he had played well, it must have been true. He smiled at her, two cute dimples dancing on his cheeks as he looked adoringly at his mom.

"And Luke, you scored two goals!" She smiled broadly at him, as the boy stood involved by her arms, jumping with excitement.

"Team Hunt!" He cheered, offering his hand to his mom.

"Team Hunt!" Amelia said, joining his stretched hand on a Hi5, making the boys giggle. "Dad and I are so proud of you both!"

Hi5.

Amelia knew Lucas really needed the encouragement, because his self esteem was already compromised by his dyslexia. He was taking a little longer to adapt to the new school than usual. It wasn't his fault he had more trouble to read and write than the other kids, and Amelia and Owen made sure that he knew that, every day.

"Ok, who's up for some dinner?" Owen shifted Thomas from one arm to the other, looking from his wife to his eldest son. They both agreed and together, the four of them started to leave waving to April, Jackson and their son Joseph in a distance.

They were nearly at the car when once again a woman unknown to Amelia waved at Owen, smiling invitingly at him.

"Hi, Dr. Owen!" Her heels clicked as she walked on the sidewalk past them, holding hands with a little boy.

Amelia looked at him and raised her eyebrows in question. Owen shrugged but she could see he was obviously embarrassed.

"Another one of your friends?" She asked, hating that she was feeling jealous.

"You don't know them because you haven't been to the parents' reunions yet," He justified.

"If you say so… Dr. Owen."

He chuckled at her sassiness. Amelia never let anything go. Owen ran his free hand through her back, holding her waist as he kissed her temple.

"You're impossible," He then looked at Thomas, firmly held on his other arm "See, Tom, mommy is being very cranky."

"Mom is not being cranky," She corrected him "It's dad who is being very, very naughty." She chose the words on purpose.

"You have to use your words," Thomas advised them, repeating what his parents always told him and Lucas when they were fighting.

Amelia burst in laughter at her son's words of wisdom and pinched Owen's butt in response.

"Alright, let's go have dinner."

.

They chose a restaurant not so far from the school, but it felt like many other families had the exact same idea, because the place was crowded. Amelia spotted at least half a dozen children wearing the same soccer uniforms as Lucas and Thomas and to her unpleasant surprise, two more women she had never seen before approached her husband with forced intimacy.

"Someone is popular at school," She said, realizing she was angrier than she sounded. "And I don't mean the kids."

Owen looked up from his dish to her face, sensing the jealousy in every word. It was going to be a long night.

.

"What's wrong with these people? Move!" Amelia raised her voice, slapping the car dash even though the other drivers couldn't hear her "Ugh I hate those slow drivers! They are blocking the driveway!"

"Someone has road rage today," Owen reprimanded her with a grin. He was the one driving but Amelia was behaving like a psycho co-pilot.

"I told you we should have left twenty minutes earlier. We would have avoided the traffic jam if you had just listened to me."

"We can't drop the kids at school before the school is open." Owen stated the obvious.

Amelia left a heavy sigh, refusing to accept defeat. She hated that new school. Owen knew that the events of the previous evening were adding to her bad mood.

"How stupid, I mean, how unbelievably stupid do you have to be to notice everyone behind you wants to pass?!"

As Owen looked at her again, he thought it was better not to say anything. It was still 7:30 in the morning, and her mood showed no sign of improvement. Owen knew she needed to calm down before her impulsiveness led her to do something stupid. Amelia had ranted that she was one neurosurgeon short on her team and all her favorite residents had been assigned to other surgeons, but he knew there was more to it, so he just listened to her patiently, waiting until she was ready to finally discuss the reason behind her anger.

Earlier that day, Amelia had picked up a fight with him about the fact that Owen had not taken the trash outside, when she insisted that she had specifically told him to. He, on the other hand, was sure Amelia had said she would take it out herself. He didn't care about any of that as long as the trash had been properly taken outside but Amelia at that moment wasn't interested in being practical. She just wanted to argue.

It was a stupid discussion but Owen knew that when Amelia was angry, she would pull a fight about anything, so he usually didn't bother to give her attention to prevent it from becoming something bigger. And that made her even more upset.

When they arrived at the hospital, Owen tried to buy her coffee and a sweet muffin to cheer her up, but her foul mood persisted. Around lunch time, after they scrubbed out of surgery together, he tried to improve her disposition with the promise of a foot massage once they got home. She had barely reacted to it, either.

In the middle of the afternoon, Owen was not only frustrated, he was starting to get really angry too. When he saw Amelia scowling behind the back of a particular rude nurse after yelling at two not particularly bright interns, he thought that was enough. People at work shouldn't be affected by their personal problems.

"Come here, I need to talk to you," he pulled her by the arm, not very gently.

"Ouch!" She protested when he grabbed her by the arm "Owen, get off, you've been on my face all day. What's your damn problem?"

"No, what is _your_ problem? You've been a brat all day," He said as he roughly pulled her into an empty on call room and locked the door behind him. "I know you're upset about your department but you're being insufferable about everything! You're driving me crazy! You're driving everyone crazy!"

He had become so angry at her he couldn't begin to explain.

"Well, then leave me be and get out of my way!" She snapped, furiously walking away from him.

Amelia had decided to leave, so she was startled when Owen suddenly grabbed her, knocking her down on one of the beds, covering her body with his. He took her lips on a breathtaking kiss, aggressively trapping her beneath him. She tried to resist him and pushed him away, but Owen's insistent tongue made her part her lips until she finally yielded, wrapping both arms around his neck to pull him closer and join him on the kiss. She hadn't planned to take him up on the kissing, but for some reason, the pulsating vein on his neck and his hardened jaw had excited her.

"What the f...?" Amelia was finally able to pull him off after a while "I thought you were pissed at me?"

"I am," Owen said and kissed her demandingly again.

Amelia could feel the pressing of his manhood against her thighs as Owen's body crushed hers with his weight.

He grabbed both her arms and trapped them above her head, giving Amelia no chance to fight back.

It was a fight for control and Amelia knew it. Whenever they had those stupid arguments Owen either ignored her or he became this raw, aggressive, controlling jerk who used his charms and his physical power to subdue her into her senses. It was frustrating but at the same time, really hot.

At that very moment, Amelia felt completely angry at him and it had everything to do with jealousy. But she wouldn't admit it.

"Get off me," Amelia threatened him "I am gonna yell if you don't."

"Go ahead and yell. I dare you." Owen looked at her lips, his crystal blue eyes sparkling with fire as he said the words.

He meant it. Amelia saw his fierce determination so she didn't go along with her threat.

"Get off me," she tried to push him away, failing "I have work to do!"

"Apologize to me, then."

"You kidnapped me! You're the one who should be sorry!"

Owen trapped her more tightly beneath him, sliding his hands on her forearms until they reached her palms. He intertwined their fingers, splaying her arms on the mattress, feeling the gentle curve of her breasts press harder against his chest.

"Don't be a drama queen. Say you're sorry for being a pain in my ass all day and I'll think about letting you get back to work."

Amelia thought about it for a second, and when Owen was sure she would give in, he heard her reply:

"I am not even the least bit sorry."

Her stubbornness drove Owen crazy mad. He had a very impetuous wife and she was even more adorable when she was mad at him. He kissed her again, feeling her relinquish power to him much sooner this time. He knew Amelia's anger was coming from jealousy, and he enjoyed it. It made him want to take her there and then, but he couldn't. Not until she admitted why she was really angry at him.

He kept on staring at her in a pretend serious manner, but a sketchy smile was visible on the corner of his lips. Amelia bit her lower lip, insure of what to do next to annoy him. Owen stole every thought she had in her mind when he kissed her in the most possessive way until she was touching him back, pulling him against her. He slid one hand beneath her scrub top, caressing the smooth skin of her stomach with his fingers.

"Open your eyes, Sunshine," He ordered ironically, but with a lighthearted tone. "My delicate Ray of Sunshine. Aren't you the sweetest?" He teased her, kissing her cheek with mirth.

Amelia didn't want to, but at the sound of his voice her eyes automatically opened to stare deeply into his.

Owen smiled at her and Amelia couldn't contain herself anymore. He heard her fits of laughter as she silently admitted they were both butting heads for no reason. She had been really irritated before, but now she didn't feel so angry at the world anymore. Not when Owen was genuinely laughing with her.

He kissed her again but this time, it was a slower, more erotic kiss. Amelia felt a tingling feeling in her lower abdomen and an explosion of desire traveled through her body.

"I hate you," she blatantly said to his face, still smiling.

"No, you don't," Owen said cockily.

"I really don't," Amelia finally rallied, making him laugh along with her. "Can I go now?"

"Are you sorry?"

"I am very sorry," she said, clearly lying. "Ok, I said it, now let me go."

"Nope."

"What?" Amelia said, outraged. "You said that if I said I was sorry you would let me go."

"No," Owen corrected her "I said I would think about it. Well, I've thought about it and the answer is no."

Amelia protested, but Owen wasn't affected by her indisposition. When she finally calmed down and stopped talking, going from ranting to fully ignoring him, he slowly lifted himself from her top and held her, sitting on the bed while he made her stand in front of him.

"Alright, I won't keep you any longer, Grumpy. Go."

Amelia hesitated, taking one step back and out of his reach. Owen kept sitting on the bed looking directly into her eyes, and raised an eyebrow waiting for her next move. But as she left his arms, she suddenly felt empty and abandoned.

"Go!" Owen insisted, looking from her to the door, but the disappointment in his voice betrayed his words "I am sure you have somewhere more important to be."

Amelia saw the look on his face and she tried to remember why they had ended up there in the first place. She couldn't.

"You know what," she said, leaning forward, with a sweet smile, deprived of malice "I don't want to go anymore."

Owen looked at her, looking for a sign on her eyes that showed him she was setting him up, but he couldn't find any.

"I don't want to you go, either." He said, honestly.

"Good." Amelia crossed her arms behind her back like a child and stood against the door.

Owen kept staring at her until a smile was born on the corner of his lips. She was unbelievable. And he loved her.

"Come here, babe." He commanded, with the sweetest voice.

Amelia saw the predator look in his eyes but at the same time, the heartwarming smile on his lips.

She took two steps forward, voluntarily walking into his embrace as Owen's strong arms involved her waist, bringing her closer.

This time, because he was sitting, she was the one to look down to see him. Her hands cupped his rough cheeks as one of her thumbs outlined the masculine curve of his lips.

Owen smiled as he closed his eyes, feeling her soothing touch on his face. Soon, she replaced her thumb with her lips, giving butterfly kisses on the corners of his face.

"I was jealous," She confessed, hating that she was finally saying it. Owen knew she was talking about the several women from their children's new school who had approached him during the previous night.

Owen opened his eyes and smiled at her.

"I know."

Amelia noticed he wasn't bragging about it, or smugly triumphing over her confession, but simply enjoying the meaning of her words. As he did so, his lips captured hers again.

"Feeling better now?" He asked, placing a lock of hair behind her ear.

"Much better, thanks," Amelia giggled and wrapped her arms tighter around his neck.

"Okay, so it's my turn now," He looked adoringly at her, knowing she would rejoice in his next words "You were right."

"I know," Amelia said with a smile "I am always right. But what was I right about this time?"

Owen laughed and explained.

"After the third or fourth mom came up to me touching me indiscreetly," He confessed "I realize you were right about them flirting with me."

Amelia chuckled as she joined him on the bed. With the exception of a few charts she needed to update, there was hardly any work left to do. But Owen probably would have to be at the hospital for a while longer.

"You know what?" She realized "It's been forever since we've had sex on this bed." She starred maliciously into his eyes.

"Yeah?" Owen acted surprised but he was already taking off her scrub top. "We have to work on that, then."

He laid on his back, pulling Amelia up to his top. She started to draw a trail of kisses on his jawline and just when her hand made its way inside his pants, his phone started to ring.

Amelia got up, frustrated and irritated. That on call room seemed cursed. She could count on her fingers the times they had actually been there without any interruptions.

"The pit?" She asked Owen, already putting her clothes back on.

"Sorry," He gave her a quick peck on the lips "But we can continue this later at home," He blinked one eye at her, charmingly.

Amelia let out a frustrated sigh as she watched him walk out the door. Her life had gotten much better and happier after she had married Owen. Her entire world had been turned upside down when they had their children and she loved every aspect of it. But looking at the buzzing cell phone on the night stand had made her realize something very important.

Some things never changed.


	4. Halloween

My Boys Drabbles – Halloween

Amelia made her way through the living room, silently cursing when she stepped on a glowing toy spider. It was nearly Halloween and they'd spent the entire day decorating the house to prepare for trick or treating.

She finished sorting the candy in the proper bowls and went to the living room. The house was unusually calm: Lucas and Thomas were at Meredith's, having a sleepover with Bailey and Owen's mother had taken the twins to the movies. She was recovering from her brain surgery and was doing a lot better. Megan was the only one upstairs, sleeping peacefully in her crib before it was time for her to feed again.

"Owen, did you turn on the Nanny Cam?" Amelia yelled from the bottom floor, through the hole of the stairs.

"Yes!" She heard his voice coming from the upper floor and silently made her way to the couch, running through the TV channels using the remote. It was awfully quiet in the house. When she'd realized they would have a night free of the kids, her initial reaction had been to rejoice on the peace and quiet. But now that their absence was evident in every bit of the house, she couldn't help missing them.

"Hey, what do you feel like eating for dinner?" Owen cheerfully asked as he came down the stairs, holding the nanny cam in one hand and placing it on the coffee table "I can cook but since it's just the two of us, I thought we could order tonight."

Amelia was thrown on the couch, half sitting, half lying. Her eyes had been on the TV, but she wasn't paying any attention to it, especially now that her husband stood in front of her, occupying a lot of space.

"Come here," She ordered, with a malicious grin on her lips.

Owen smiled at her dirty tone of voice and quickly obliged, bending over her. He planned on using the couch's arm as support but Amelia swiftly pulled him, making him fall on top of her.

"What is this all about?" He laughed, having fun when she pulled off his shirt.

"I want you," She straightforward answered. "And the only child that's home can't walk yet, so no traumatizing surprises for anyone tonight," She laughed, always worried one of the kids could walk in on them if they weren't careful.

Megan was forty five days old and Amelia hadn't had sex with her husband since before their baby had been born. She had been cleared by her OB two weeks before to resume sexual activity, but even though she had wanted to, between Owen's night shifts and caring for a newborn, there had been no time yet to be alone with her husband.

"I like it when you're bossy," Owen gave her a dirty smile, enjoying her lips exploring his jaw and neck "I miss it, actually."

"Shut up and kiss me," Amelia playfully said, adding to his impression she was being bossy. Owen played her game and happily did as she told, kissing her passionately.

He missed her and wasted no time getting her rid of his clothes, as she did the same to him.

"Babe," Amelia reminded him when Owen removed her last piece of clothing "I am not on the pill and there's no IDU. You're gonna have to put on a condom."

Owen stopped kissing her and looked up to meet her eyes, frowning.

"Really?" He complained, as if trying to convince her otherwise. Because Amelia was lactating, she couldn't take her regular pill and it was too soon after birth for an IUD, meaning it was up to him to take charge of birth control.

"Are you freaking kidding me?!" Amelia pushed him away when she realized he was hesitating "No!" She raised a finger up at him, grabbing back her clothes "You are _not_ getting me pregnant again, Owen Hunt!" She said, already putting her panties back on.

Owen let out a heavy sigh, frustrated.

"You're not gonna get pregnant, Amelia," He tried to convince her, "You're lactating. Chances of getting pregnant are really small."

"You freaking got me pregnant when I had an IUD!" She burst out in anger, not believing him. Amelia bent over and grabbed a couch pillow, mercilessly throwing it at him "What makes you think I wouldn't get pregnant now?"

"Ok, ok, I'll use a condom…" Owen gave in.

"No, you won't, because you killed the mood and I'm not having sex with you anymore."

Owen tilted his head sideways, looking at her like a stray puppy asking for food.

"You're beautiful, you know that?" He kept on his most seductive smile, exploring her body with his eyes "So beautiful…"

"You are unbelievable" Amelia tried to stay mad but she couldn't help laughing when she realized how silly he was being. "You'll say anything to get laid."

"I will, indeed," He said with a dirty grin, pulling her by the arm. Amelia fell on his lap and Owen grabbed her legs, making her straddle him on the couch. "I very much want to have sex," He confessed "But I mean it, babe. You're beautiful, you know that, right?"

He won her over when he kept silently tracing a line of kisses from her neck to her lips, until he finally pulled apart and held her by her waist.

"We have to discuss birth control for real this time," Amelia said with a low, serious voice, tenderly caressing his eyebrows with her thumbs. "We have to make it permanent."

"Uh-hum" Owen agreed with closed eyes, letting his head fall back a little while he enjoyed her touch on his face. He had missed how affectionate she could be.

Amelia smiled when her eyes caught sight of his beautiful, thick blonde eyelashes. She bent over a little and kissed him on the cheek, running her fingers through the blonde curls on the back of his head. Owen moaned with pleasure and smiled lazily when Amelia kissed his temple, slowly descending to his cheek. He was forgetting all about their disagreement and relaxing again when he heard the sound of her voice:

"I think you should get a vasectomy," Amelia whispered in his ear.

Owen immediately opened his eyes in shock, being brutally brought back to reality.

"What?" His eyes were wide with disbelief "You want me to get cut down there? No way."

"Owen, you're a surgeon," He had to know better than that "Besides, it was always up to me to do everything… Pills, IUDs, giving birth! I am freaking tired of carrying all the weight. You only had the fun part so far, now it's your turn. Take one for the family."

Owen's large crystal eyes were widened as he still recovered from the shock.

"So you want someone else touching me there?" He tried a different approach to convince her it was a bad idea, smiling at her while he placed one lock of her brown locks of hair behind her ear.

"I want to never get pregnant, ever again," Amelia used his same playful condescending tone of voice but then she loosened up and touched his nose with his, smiling with adoration "Because if I leave it up to you, we'll repopulate the Earth."

"Two more and we become the Weasleys." Owen joked back. "Let's go for it, babe."

"Don't even start with me," She burst out laughing, knowing he was joking. Amelia wrapped her arms around him "I missed this," She said, hugging him close.

"Me too," Owen said with honesty. "Wanna go upstairs and do it all night long?" He raised one eyebrow at her, very suggestively.

"You get that condom first," Amelia negotiated and they quickly made their way upstairs, enjoying what little time was left before Megan woke up.

"We're gonna need more than one!" Owen replied excitedly, already following her.

.

Amelia tried her best to contain the boys' excitement on Halloween day. She rolled her eyes once again when she remembered that Owen had come up with the _brilliant_ idea that the whole family should participate in the theme he'd chosen that year: football.

The boys had been thrilled about it from the start, and all their jerseys had HUNT stamped on the back, right above their respective numbers. Amelia had to admit they looked pretty darn cute dressed like football players, from head to toes. Owen had chosen the colors to match those of the team they were fans of, and all four boys were feeling like professional players. Owen would dress up as head coach. Megan would be the cutest football to have ever existed. And to Amelia, it had been left the very unpleasant role of being the cheerleader.

"You're never, _ever_ being in charge of the costumes again," She reprimanded her husband, as they got dressed in the master bedroom.

Owen looked at his wife and laughed in delight. She was wearing a long sleeve short top that only covered half her upper body. The matching skirt barely made it halfway through her thighs. The white socks and white sneakers only added to the school girl look.

"You forgot your piggy tails," He teased her, instantly turned on by her sight. Owen noticed Amelia's ivory skin against the green and navy colors of her clothes. Even though she had given birth to Megan no more than two months ago, she was already back to her usual slim, petite shape. Only her breasts were a little larger than usual, pressing hard against the tight shirt.

"You are seriously unbelievable," Amelia said, visibly annoyed. She then started taking off the skirt "I am not going outside wearing this."

"No, no, babe, please," Owen tried to sound serious but his smile was too obvious. She looked really hot and his intention was to have her dressed up like that until much later that evening, after all their children had gone to bed "If you don't play along, you're going to ruin the evening for the boys. You know how much they've been expecting this."

Amelia let out a heavy sigh and put the micro skirt back on.

"This is very degrading," She looked herself in the mirror and then started to laugh too. She was dressed like a stereotype. The situation was so absurd she couldn't help laughing at it. "I can't believe you actually bought this, Owen. What were you thinking?"

"I knew you'd look tempting in it," He replied like that was very obvious, putting on his shoes while Amelia turned sideways, inspecting herself in the mirror.

"Easy for you to say," She complained, noticing his polo shirt, khaki slacks and hat. "You're not the one who'll freeze outside."

"We won't be long out there," Owen again tried to talk her into doing it. "Just a couple of blocks and we'll be back. Is Meredith coming or what?"

"Yeah, she will be here in a few."

Less than half an hour later, Amelia walked down her street holding hands with the twins while they carried their pumpkin shaped buckets already filled with candy bars and sweets. Owen came right behind her, holding Megan in her warm plush costume, closely watching Thomas and Lucas laughing along with Zola, Bailey and Ellis.

"Is Nathan on call today?" Amelia distractedly asked, shifting her legs to prevent her skirt from going up any further. She looked ridiculous. Amelia could feel the eyes of several men around them starring for a few seconds longer than it was appropriate when they looked at her.

"No, he just didn't want to come." Meredith replied with her typical practicality but Amelia noticed the subtle tone of disappointment in her voice.

Meredith's house was a 5 minute drive from Amelia's, and most of the children in the neighborhood attended the same private school as their kids, so they would often stop and say hi to their classmates.

"You're stealing the show," Owen leaned over and whispered in Amelia's ear. He wasn't smiling and Amelia noticed the spark of jealousy in his eyes.

"Well, it's your fault," She angrily whispered back, frowning at him.

"You should have come with a broomstick, that would've suited you better," Owen was obviously disapproving of the attention she was drawing from the other men "Witch."

"Ass," Amelia playfully hit him on the arm with a closed fist "You made me do this in the first place. You don't get to be mad at me," She scowled at him, talking between her teeth so the children wouldn't think they were fighting.

"Just wait until we get home and you'll see what I mean." Owen promised, his blue eyes dark with malice.

"Why? Are you gonna use your magic wand on me?" Amelia smiled widely, showing off her dimples, making Owen burst out laughing.

"Amelia!" Meredith reprimanded her. She'd heard the last bit of the conversation "Don't say that kind of stuff in front of the children! When will you grow up?" Meredith couldn't help laughing too, contaminated by the light atmosphere.

"Hey, babe," Amelia glanced over her back to Owen "I think it's too cold here for Megan, why don't you take her back home and I'll circle the block with Mer. The kids have enough candy already," She noticed everyone's bucket was already full. "We'll catch up with you in a minute."

Owen gave her a playful angry look but then went around her, squeezing the side of her hip before stealing a kiss and walking home with the baby in his arms.

"Ok, tell me," Amelia turned to Meredith when the kids all ran to the doormat in the front of the house they were passing by. She had told Owen to go back home because she'd noticed Meredith was probably in need of talking to someone. "What's going on with you and Nathan?"

Meredith let out a heavy sigh, obviously hesitating. She seemed to ponder for a few seconds, before finally deciding to share her burden.

"How do you convince Owen to come?" Once she noticed the confusion on Amelia's eyes, she explained further "I mean, he's out here with you and the kids on a Halloween trick and treating." Meredith roller her eyes like that was a big deal "Did you talk him into coming?"

"What do you mean how do I…" Amelia was clearly confused "I never ask Owen to do anything, he just does it." Meredith looked at her like she was from another planet. "Meredith, what exactly are you asking me here?"

"Nathan never really shows any interested in joining us when I'm with the kids," Meredith confessed. A couple of weeks ago I told him the costumes I was getting for the kids and what our plans for Halloween were and he just sat there and listened. He never said anything about joining us."

"Well, did you invite him to come?" Amelia asked like that was the obvious route.

Meredith frowned again and Amelia finally understood.

"Oh my God, Meredith, you guys don't do things together when you're with the kids?" Amelia's blue eyes were wide with shock.

"This thing you did with Owen," Meredith explained, referring to Owen and Amelia's recent bantering "We never do that. We never joke like that. It's just not our thing. We've always understood each other just fine and he knows my children are more important than anything and they'll always come first. He respects that and I'm grateful for it. But he also keeps his distance but I wish he didn't."

"So you're saying you wanted him to come tonight?" Amelia was trying to figure out what she meant. "Is that it?"

"Well, I don't know!" Meredith said in her defense "They are not his kids and I don't want him to feel like I expect him to fill in for Derek. He is not their dad and it's not his responsibility to do any of this. He doesn't have to. But all I am saying is, I would like it if he wanted to. And I think the children would, too."

"Maybe he thinks _you_ are excluding him," Amelia explained what to her was so obvious "Maybe he feels you don't want him to be a part of their lives. If you never invite him to these family events, how will he know he is welcome?"

"But he has never said anything!" Meredith explained.

"Have you tried talking to him?" Amelia blurted. As she expected, Meredith clearly hadn't thought of the idea. "You'd be surprised by how much you can accomplish in a marriage by just talking." Amelia advised, talking from her own experience "Sometimes I feel like I wanna stab Owen with an arachnoid knife but then I just listen to what he has to say and I explain to him my point of view. It usually helps to prevent marital murder."

"I would like it if he joined us," Meredith confessed, nervously "Derek loved this kind of family outing and I'm sure he'd be thrilled to be here. But I don't know about Nathan. I don't know if he'd like it."

"Maybe Derek didn't need to talk, because you already knew how he felt" Amelia said, smiling when she thought about the memory of her adored brother "But maybe Nathan needs you to ask him? He doesn't seem like the kind of guy who would invite himself to something when he doesn't know if he'd be welcome"

"Yeah…" Meredith pondered, looking relieved she'd been able to talk to someone about the subject. "You're probably right. I'll talk to him."

"Good," Amelia closed the topic "Best thing about those conversations is that since they always feel a bit awkward, we always end up using sex as the closure. That's a bonus."

"You're hopeless," Meredith laughed with her and focused the attention back on the children as she noticed Amelia was doing the same.

"Ok, we have one evil queen, one snow white and one huntsman," Amelia looked over from her nieces and nephew to her own children "Hunt number one, number two, number three… " She read the numbers on their jerseys "Where is Hunt number four?" Amelia looked around, already feeling her pulse racing "Guys, where is Robbie?" She asked the children.

They all looked at her and shrugged, focused on their candy. Amelia looked up to Meredith for help, but it was clear on her sister in law's face that she also had no idea where the toddler could be. Amelia started to frantically pace back and forth.

"Dan, where is your brother?" She started to freak out, looking desperately through the garden. There were at least a dozen children in that front yard and she couldn't spot her son anywhere "Robbie? ROBBIE?"

Amelia looked around, desperately. She had been walking with the twins by her side, holding their hands and when they'd stopped at that house and said goodbye to Owen, she had let them go to the front door with the older kids to go get candy. Amidst all the props and other people dressed up, she couldn't find him.

"Zola, you didn't see your cousin?" Meredith asked her oldest daughter, also looking everywhere for the missing twin.

The group started a thorough search and when they couldn't find the three year old, Amelia took Danny in her arms, leaving Lucas and Thomas searching with Meredith and rushed back to her house in fast paces, intending to get Owen. Their home was just three houses up the street, and she kept looking for Robbie the entire way.

This was like a living nightmare and she couldn't believe it. The irony of the scenario around her, with so many ghosts and haunting figures made her angry on the top of worried. Her son wasn't nowhere in sight and she had no idea what could have happened. Someone might have taken him, or he might have gotten lost. The idea of Robbie alone and scared made Amelia nauseous and she walked faster, trying to balance the weight of Danny in her arms.

She was breathless when she finally made it to their front porch. She was about to scream Owen's name for help when she spotted him, sitting on the front door steps with the baby in his arms… And Robbie by his side.

"Wow, what happened?" Owen noticed Amelia's flushed cheeks and rapid breathing. She put Danny on the ground and the boy rushed to his brother while his mother placed her hands on her knees, gasping for support. "Amelia?"

"Was Robbie here with you this whole time?" She asked between short breaths. She was hyperventilating and it wasn't because of the exercise.

"Yeah, he came back with me when I brought Meg home," He explained, "You saw us," He innocently said. "Babe, he is fine, what happened?"

"Oh my God, Owen," Amelia was pale as a ghost and she could feel her blood pressure decreasing "I thought… I thought I'd lost him," She looked up at him and he saw the tears starting to gather in the corner of her eyes "I thought I'd lost him," She repeated, still in shock.

Owen held her and Amelia broke down, crying desperately.

"I don't ever want to feel like this again," She confessed, bringing her head up to look at him "These were the scariest five minutes of my life," She confessed, looking down at the twins calmly ripping open candy bars, oblivious to any of the distress "This was awful. I don't wish this feeling on anyone, ever. I feel like I'm gonna throw up."

"He is fine now," Owen rubbed her back gently, "He is fine, babe. It's okay."

Amelia got Megan from his arms and sat down with the twins while Owen went to tell Meredith and the kids Robbie was fine. He explained it had been a misunderstanding and Meredith let out a breath she'd been holding when she was told her nephew was safe at home.

Soon after, she made her way back home with her kids and Owen walked back to the house, with Thomas and Lucas. Then they found out Robbie had wanted to go back home to clear his bucket in his candy jar, so he could go back for more candy since his was already full. Owen had thought the boy was just tired and had wanted to come home.

"I think once he touched the chocolate bars, he changed his mind about going back, because he didn't ask me to," Owen figured, wrapping one hand around Amelia's waist and feeling how cold her skin was "Come on, let's go inside. You're freezing."

.

A couple of hours later, Amelia and Owen put all five kids to bed. She was relaxing in the hot bathtub to warm up after being outside wearing her very revealing costume when Owen walked into the bathroom, visibly tired.

"Tom was the last one to go down," He told her, seeing how distressed she still was "Are you okay?" Owen sat on the edge of the tube, worried about her.

"I'll be fine," She said, squeezing his hand, grateful for his concern.

"I'm sorry, I should have told you he was coming with me. It was a mistake to simply assume you had seen it." Owen nodded, disappointed at himself "If the same thing had happened to me, I would have freaked out," He confessed.

"You have no idea how creative for disasters and terrifying scenarios our minds can get when we realize our kid is nowhere within sight," Amelia shared, thinking back to that awful moment.

"They are all safe in their comfortable beds right now," Owen said, trying to cheer her up "Soon you will be too. You deserve it after today."

Amelia blew him a kiss, too exhausted to talk and closed her eyes again, intending to relax a little more while the water was still warm. After a few seconds, Owen's voice interrupted her thoughts.

"You still think I should get a vasectomy after this?" He asked with a mischievous grin "Think about it, once I get it we won't be able to replace any more missing Hunts."

Amelia opened her eyes with shock and Owen noticed it.

"Too soon to joke?" He laughed, leaning forward "Sorry, babe, it was an awful thing to say," He kissed her lips, feeling the droplets on her face.

"You're such an idiot," Amelia playfully said, still not believing him. "A very cute one, but still an idiot."

"Well, I guess it's not Halloween without a scare." Owen said, running his fingers through her neck. His intentions were clear on his face when he asked "So… that costume…. Any chance you want to put it back on?"

"Not the slightest," Amelia ruined his fun, laughing at how disappointed he looked "But," She said, very seriously, "I have a surprise for you."

When Owen looked at her very expectantly, Amelia surprised him by pulling his collar toward her, making him fall in the tub fully dressed. The weight of his body created a loud splash once he landed on top of her, contagiously laughing along.

"What the hell" Owen was visibly startled. "I guess I deserve this," He admitted, taking off his wet clothes.

"You did," Amelia held him close to her when he was finally undressed.

He laid with his back on her chest, feeling her massaging his shoulders and head for a while, before finally agreeing:

"I guess you're right… I should really get that vasectomy after all." Owen knew it was the best plan for them.

"I'm glad you think so," She kissed his cheek, happy he was finally on board with it.

"You gotta give it some careful thought, though," He shrugged with resignation "I can't believe I'm letting someone cut my private parts… " Owen was dreading the idea.

"Well," Amelia held his jaw and turned his head to the side so she could look directly into his eyes. With a playful voice, she added "I know you're hating the idea but it's your turn to be brave… It's not Halloween without a scare, after all."


	5. Back to the Start - Part One

Ok Guys, so this will be a Short multi chapter (maybe 3-4), so I've decided to post it here as part of the Drabbles.

I hope you all enjoy! R&R always appreciated.

 **My Boys Drabbles – Back to the Start**

 **Part One**

"Do you see that one over there?" Thomas pointed to a puffy dark cloud "It looks like a garbage truck."

Owen cracked up and agreed. He was lying down on the grass of his backyard with his two eldest sons, examining the afternoon sky while trying to name shapes from the dark, heavy grey clouds that gathered in the sky.

"That one over there," Lucas pointed, visibly bored "Looks like a thunderstorm."

"Don't be a killjoy," Owen reprimanded him, seeing how Thomas was enjoying their game and Lucas wasn't. He loved being outdoors, and he stimulated the boys to be there as much as possible too.

"When is mom coming home?" Lucas asked, tilting his head to examine another cloud "I'm hungry."

"You're always hungry," Thomas pointed out, very wisely.

Owen had to agree with his six year old son. Lucas, the oldest, really was hungry all the time.

"Mom is picking up your brothers and sister," Owen told him "Let's go inside and start dinner since you're so hungry," He ruffled Lucas' hair, and both boys quickly got up and followed him inside.

The minute they stepped foot into the house a loud thunder struck outside, making an awful noise. Less than a minute later, a heavy rain started to pour down, showering everything outside.

"Let's hope mom doesn't get stuck in traffic," Owen commented, taking some ingredients out of the fridge and cabinets "Have you guys finished your homework?"

"Yeah, dad," Thomas replied, picking up a colorful cartoon book from the shelf. Lucas turned on the TV and Owen got distracted with the cooking. About twenty minutes later, he saw the back door opening and his wife walking in, completely soaked from head to toe, carrying their nine month old daughter. Their three year old twins led the way for them.

"Oh my God," Amelia smiled with her usual liveliness, showing off her cute dimples "The sky is falling outside and your children won't cooperate to let me unbuckle their car seats," She explained, passing Megan over to Owen before she got the baby soaked "We really need to clear the garage to start parking inside it."

Their garage was full of stuff they hadn't unboxed yet after they'd moved, so they usually parked the car outside on the yard. The house was spacious and both the back and front yards provided a lot of room for the kids to play when it wasn't raining.

"My children, huh?" Owen raised one eyebrow at her. Every time the kids acted out, Amelia used those same words with him.

"They have your size, your hair, your passion for cars and sports," She reminded him "They also have your stubbornness." Amelia added while she kissed Thomas and Lucas and involved them in her wet embrace, laughing at their protest.

"I'm not stubborn," Owen replied, outraged "You're the most stubborn person I know, don't pin this on me."

"The fact that you're refuting just proves my point," She approached him with a smirk and stood on the tip of her toes, gently reaching out to give him a quick kiss "Hi." Amelia added with a smile.

Owen noticed her wet hair and her ivory skin, contrasting beautifully with her blue eyes. He loved the life in her eyes and how she always brought laughter and joy to their household. She had arrived less than a minute before and yet everything around them already felt happier and lighter.

"Go upstairs and take a hot shower," He advised her, seeing how cold she'd become "I'll finish dinner here."

"Okay," Amelia agreed watching him put Megan on the toy mat by one corner of the room. "Robbie and Danny have some kind of coloring homework," She told him so he could take care of that too while she was gone.

Owen grabbed their school bags and took out their spreadsheets and crayons, leaving them both seated on the big table while he took care of dinner. He was more than half way through with it when the lights suddenly went out.

Amelia was upstairs finishing her shower when she was startled by the sudden power shortage. She recovered from the unexpected darkness and hummed to a song, wrapping herself in a towel. The storm was awful outside and it had probably caused the electricity cut. Her mind was still on the song she was singing when a loud crackling noise made her jump off her feet.

She could tell a glass had been shattered and expecting the very worst, she rushed downstairs, where her five very small children had been left. Amelia adjusted her eyes to the darkness, trying to control her anxiety when she saw the look of terror in their kids' faces, one by one.

Thomas was up by the kitchen counter, his big blue eyes shining in the darkness. Lucas held Megan by one corner, trying to soothe the baby while the twins looked up expectantly. Amelia let out a sigh of relief when she noticed they were all apparently okay and was about to ask them what the hell had happened when she heard Owen's voice coming from the small pantry annexed to the kitchen.

"Owen?" She held her towel so it wouldn't fall "What happened, are you okay in there?"

"I think I hurt my head," Owen's voice sounded muffled and after loud noises of objects hitting other objects, Amelia saw him coming out of the small room, holding a flashlight, which he had apparently gone in to get.

"Oh my God! Owen!" Amelia's eyes inspected him, seeing the enormous stain of blood on his shirt. It was coming from a deep head laceration on the left side of his head, very close to his temple "What happened?" She asked in a hurry, already reaching to compress the wound.

"I was getting the flashlight and this giant pickle jar fell on my head," Owen complained, pointing to the floor, where several pickles were spread out among big glass pieces "We don't even eat pickles!" He complained.

"Yeah," Amelia couldn't hide her guilt. She had stuffed the jar up there somewhere a long time ago "I wouldn't eat those if I were you. Especially now."

Owen looked at her like he couldn't believe she was saying that as she helped him go to the living room.

"This looks worse than I thought," Amelia noticed as she sat Owen down on the kitchen stool to examine his wound "Tom, can you call grandma's house number?" She kept compressing her husband's head but glanced over to their son "I'm gonna see if she can watch you guys because I need to take dad to the hospital to get stitches."

Thomas went in search of Amelia's phone as she instructed the kids to go to the living room, giving them the flashlight. Afterwards, she closed the pantry door, locking it behind her, to prevent any more accidents with the broken glass still shattered on the floor.

Five minutes later, Amelia had all five kids in their respective car seats. She dropped them off at Evelyn's and soon after drove Owen to Grey Sloan Memorial. As they drove through the stormy streets, she noticed Owen's speech getting confused and disoriented.

By the time they made it to the ER, he was downright aggressive and refused to let anyone touch him, to the point where they had to call out two security guards to help Deluca and Jackson restrain him. April was the attending on call and she agreed with Amelia that Owen had probably suffered a concussion and was acting out because of it.

In spite of that, they both agreed on sending him to get a head scan to rule out any other injuries, but Owen was so agitated they had to sedate him to make him still. Half an hour later, Amelia examined his images thoroughly while Jackson finished suturing his scalp laceration.

"It looks like there's no epidural or subdural hematomas, or fractures. But I'd like to get an MRI in a few hours just to be sure," Amelia pointed out, discussing the scans with April. Everything had happened so fast, Amelia hadn't had a chance to calm down and breathe, so the intensity of the situation hadn't caught up with her yet.

"Absolutely," April agreed. "How did you say this happened again? A _pickle_ jar?"

"A stinky pickle jar," Amelia corrected her "It was dark and Owen is too tall for his own good, he probably went through the top shelves and it knocked him over."

"Poor guy, he's gonna have a hell of a headache when he wakes up," April guessed.

"And so will I," Amelia predicted "I'm never gonna hear the end of it." She knew Owen would give her a big speech about misplacing things. He was particularly detailed when it came to organizing their kitchen and groceries since they had to buy for so many people and plan their children's meals but Amelia had deliberately misplaced a jar she thought contained food that wasn't worth eating.

"Do you want me to set a room for him upstairs?" April asked "You'll be more comfortable."

"We're probably not staying that long," Amelia guessed. "But thanks, though."

"Let me know if you change your mind," April said, leaving the trauma room silently.

Amelia collected Owen's scans and put them back on the big yellow envelope. Then she called her mother in law and asked if she could have the kids overnight. Evelyn expressed her concerns but when Amelia told her everything was fine, the elderly lady was calmonce again.

Soon after, Amelia dropped her bag and the scans on the supply cabinet, and pulled a small metal stool, using it to sit next to Owen's gurney. She ran a hand through his head, still stained by dry blood marks, and used wet gauze to try and clean it.

"I am so sorry, babe," She leaned over and kissed him on the forehead, while he slept soundly, still under effect of the medication "If I'd known any better I would have never hidden that damn pickle jar," She ran her fingers through his hair, avoiding his wound. "I am so sorry."

Owen moaned something inaudible and Amelia grabbed his hand, kissing his knuckles before getting up. She spent the next hour calling Maggie and Meredith to set up rides for the kids the following morning when she heard a loud groan.

"Hey, you're finally up," She turned around to go see Owen, concerned with how he'd be feeling. She didn't expect him to be aggressive or disoriented anymore, but he would still be groggy.

Owen's eyes were open and he frowned heavily when he saw her and then realized where they were. He scanned the room anxiously and the confusion was evident in his eyes when he tried to sit on the gurney, apparently unaware of the situation.

"Hey, calm down, it's okay," She walked over to him, touching his arm.

"Dr Shepherd," His voice sounded serious and impersonal "What happened? What's going on here?"

"Dr Shepherd?" Amelia laughed, looking for the hint of playfulness in his eyes. Instead, she found confusion and agitation "Owen, it's okay, we're in the ER, you hit your head at home."

"What, why?" He couldn't focus his eye on her. Instead, he was nervously examining the room around them.

"Because a pickle jar hit your head," She bent over to look him straight in the eyes "Babe, are you okay?"

Owen looked at her and frowned heavily. Amelia could tell it wasn't because of the pain. Slowly, he grabbed her wrists and moved her hands away from his face, looking at her as if he found Amelia's touch very unusual.

"What is this?" He asked with his wide eyes in clear shock. "This is very inappropriate, Shepherd."

"What?" Amelia was having a hard time figuring him out. Was it possible he was still confused because of the concussion? It had been a hard blow to the head but patients didn't usually present those symptoms after so many hours.

"And I'm your boss," He added, trying to get up.

As he did so, Owen got dizzy and Amelia quickly jumped in to support him, her body complaining with the heavy weight when she had to nearly lift him back to the gurney.

"You're my boss?" She studied his eyes attentively, trying to see if he was pulling a prank on her but she couldn't find anything other than utter confusion. "Owen, do you know where you are?"

"I'm at Grey Sloan Memorial," He replied, like that was obvious "I work here."

"Yeah, you do," Amelia frowned, picking up a pen flashlight to give him a neuro check "And do you know what day today is?"

Owen opened his mouth to reply, but once he realized he didn't know the answer he starred into her eyes with panic.

"It's okay, it's okay," Amelia tried to calm him down. Owen being nervous and agitated wouldn't help at all. She saw a nurse passing by in a hurry through the curtains, probably rushing to get to a trauma.

"There's a trauma, I need to go," Owen tried to get up again but this time Amelia stopped him before he could.

"No, you're not going anywhere, you're hurt."

"This is my department," He stated, very seriously, like that argument was enough for her to let him leave.

"Owen, you just suffered a severe concussion!" She hated his stubbornness "Calm down and get some rest."

"I give the orders here, Shepherd," His voice hardened and he threw the covers away, obviously with the full intention to get up.

"What the hell, stop calling me Shepherd," She approached him again and held his face between her hands "Owen, look at me,"

"What are you doing?" He avoided her touch again "You're being extremely unprofessional."

Amelia scowled at him, unable to hold a loud chuckle.

"I am what?" Amelia frowned "Baby, look at me. Look at me," She repeated, when he tried to get up again "You fell on our pantry during a power shortage. Your scans are clear but I'll get you to an MRI in a few hours. We'll go home right after."

"Home?" Owen's voice was failing "You mean, the trailer?" Owen was severely confused. There was no pantry in the trailer. He couldn't understand Amelia Shepherd and the fact that his memories of the previous days were blurry and confused were adding to his agitation.

It was Amelia's turn to be intrigued. And very, very concerned.

"The trailer?" For the first time she realized this was more serious than some side effect from the medication or simple disorientation. Hoping for the best but expecting the very worse, she carefully asked. "Owen, do you know who I am?"

Owen looked at her and breathed in and out, trying to pull himself together.

"You're Shepherd, my chief of neurosurgery," He looked at her like she was crazy to be asking such a stupid question.

"Yes, and what else?"

"What do you mean, what else?" He shrugged, impatient and unwilling. They had probably given him heavy meds and he hated those side effects. But Owen thought he should put on an effort and try to guess what that crazy woman was talking about. "I don't know, you're Derek's sister?"

"What else?"

Owen looked at her irritated and lost, and it finally hit Amelia: He had no idea who she was.

"Owen, what's your mom's name?"

"What are you doing, what's the point of…"

"Just answer the goddamn question!" Amelia interrupted him, losing all her patience. She was scared and she didn't want to believe what was happening right in front of her. As the seconds went by, a dreadful idea was forming in her head but it was too scary to be real.

"Evelyn," Owen replied, startled by her change of mood. "Evelyn Hunt."

"And what is she doing right now?"

"How the hell would I know?" He frowned "Shepherd, are you? You seem…"

"Stop calling me Shepherd!" Amelia exploded, scared and anxious "Owen, look at me, it's me." She took a deep breath and looked into his eyes once again "I'm your wife."

"My what?" It was Owen's turn to laugh.

"If this is a joke, then it's a really, really bad one," She stated matter-of-factly, deep down hoping that he would crack up laughing at how he'd been able to prank her.

But Owen didn't really prank people. It was Amelia who often did.

"You don't know me?" She asked, her blue eyes swelling with anguish.

"I do know you," He reinforced it, unable to believe what she had just said "You're my employee. You run the Neurosurgery department. You're Derek's sister who's come to replace him."

"Owen," She looked up at him, trying to make him see. Her energy was gone and her excitement had also vanished. All that was left was disappointment and worry. Her voice was low and filled with sadness when she stated "That was ten years ago." Owen starred at her with disbelief and Amelia took three steps in his direction, trying to be rational. "We gotta get you back to radiology. We need a new MRI, right now."

"What?" He protested when she left him to call a nurse "Shepherd, I feel perfectly fine, I just…"

But Amelia had already left and when she came back seconds later and they took him upstairs to get another scan, the image was as clear as the first one had been. No one could believe Amelia when she said Owen didn't remember who she was and they all had to see for themselves.

After an hour, Owen was frustrated, agitated and extremely impatient. April wisely suggested that they transfer him to a room upstairs, knowing that stressing him out would only make things worse.

"So, what's the plan now?" April asked Amelia, seeing how worried and heartbroken she looked "What do we do? How do we treat this?"

"We don't," Amelia replied, feeling like she was almost mourning. "There is nothing to treat. No bleed, no collection, no broken skull, nothing. His CT is clear, his MRI is clear and so is every other goddamn test I ordered." She sat down and held her forehead, sighing with frustration. Amelia wouldn't allow herself to freak out because if she did, she wasn't sure how she would come back from it.

"Maybe he will wake up back to his old self when he finally does rest properly" April offered some words of comfort, which Amelia was grateful for, but she highly doubted it.

"I don't know…" She bit her lower lip in desperation. "I don' know what to do," She confessed, still in shock "I always know what to do, but this is my husband and he doesn't remember who I am, I have no idea how things will turn out to be and still… I don't know what to do." Amelia covered her face with her hands, letting out a heavy sigh in frustration.

"Go upstairs and be with him," April advised "I am sure that he is just as desperate as you are."

Amelia hadn't really thought about it, but she agreed with April.

"I don't even know what to say to him," She admitted.

"You'll know when you see him."

Amelia hoped April was right and made her way upstairs. When she finally reached Owen's room, he was asleep on the hospital bed, probably due to the new drugs they'd ordered for him before his latest exams.

But when he woke up the next morning, he still didn't remember who she was or anything else about their lives.

"I want to go home," Owen tried to get up and rebelliously pulled out his IV line.

Amelia quickly stood up from the couch she had spent the night on and tried to stop him.

"You're not going anywhere until we get to the bottom of this," She decided. "You'll stay and we'll figure something out."

"You can't tell me what to do," Owen sighed impatiently.

He was desperate. He had no idea what day it was, or even what year it was. The last things he remembered were blurry and he wasn't sure he could place them in a proper timeline.

He did remember he had divorced his ex-wife and she had moved to Switzerland.

He remembered not too long before it, she had aborted their baby and that had ultimately ended their marriage.

He remembered the Seattle Seahawks had won Super Bowl earlier that year.

And then, after that… There wasn't much Owen could remember. He paced back and forth, nervously, trying so hard to remember something but his headache only got worse. His confusion quickly turned into anxiety.

And his anxiety, into anger.

He recalled all the traumatic events he'd been in, the war in Iraq and how that had messed with his head. He was in a good place before he hit his head! It wasn't fair to have to lie there, with a throbbing headache, listening to that insane woman telling him things that he had no idea were true or not.

"I think you should go," He looked at the neurosurgeon and spoke coldly to her.

The anger in his voice didn't go unnoticed and Amelia wondered what could possibly have changed in a matter of minutes.

"You're gonna get better," Amelia tried to be positive and understanding "I don't know how yet, but we'll figure this out and I'll find a way to have you recover your memory."

"I don't need you to do anything for me," Owen said, taking out his frustrations on her "I just need to not see your face again. You're stressing me out. Go," His voice was higher when he told her "Leave!"

"Owen," Amelia pleaded, hoping with all her heart that he would calm down and see things more rationally "Being angry won't help at all! I know this is frustrating, but…"

"You don't know anything!" Owen cruelly said "You don't know me! I don't want to see you. I don't want to lie here and hear you say a bunch of crap about me like you know what's best," He got up and engulfed her with his shadow as he stood up "Stop caring for me, stop saying everything is fine and positive. I don't know you, I don't want to know you and I sure as hell don't like you. And you being here is suffocating me." Owen confessed. "So, stop acting like you know me and have any right to make any decision for me." He saw her face was pale and for a second he felt sorry when he noticed tears building up in her eyes but his anger surpassed everything. "Go. Leave!"

Amelia's breathing was rapid and his words hurt her so much that for the first time in a long time, she was completely motionless, not knowing what to do. She picked up her things and with no choice left, walked out of the room, trying to hold her tears until she got somewhere private.

Rationally, he knew he was speaking from his anger and frustration with the situation. The Owen she knew, the one she'd married and had kids with would never treat her like that. But it didn't change the fact that it had been him the one to stand there and say he didn't like her.

Because right now, to this Owen, everything he had said was true.

He didn't know her.

He didn't love her.

And Amelia wasn't sure if he ever would again.


	6. Back to the Start - Part Two

Thank you everyone for the amazing support! Here goes the second chapter!

 **Back to the Start – Part Two**

"Hey!" Maggie said, approaching Amelia "I was looking everywhere for you!" She said in a disapproving tone, taking a sit next to Amelia. It was the middle of the afternoon and she hadn't heard from her friend since early that morning, when Maggie knew she'd had a fight with Owen.

They were in the hospital daycare playground, surrounded by infants. Megan was happily crackling between Amelia's arms, as the neurosurgeon had a look of defeat on her face. At the sight of her mother, Claire, Maggie's twelve month old, came toddling to her arms.

"I didn't want to talk," Amelia confessed, ruffling her daughter's hair before giving her a kiss "So I came here. No one in here talks. It's perfectly okay not to talk in here."

Maggie looked around to make sure no one could listen to them and sat down with Claire sitting on her folded legs. It was very unlike Amelia to not want to talk. Things must have been pretty bad with Owen to make her feel that way.

"Amelia…" She reached out one hand and grabbed her sister's, gently giving it a squeeze of reassurance. "I just found out what happened," April Kepner had filled Maggie in after Owen had had an angry outburst. The female trauma surgeon was in his patient room right now, trying to calm down her best friend while Maggie went up to make sure Amelia had all the support she might need "How are you feeling?"

"How am I feeling?" Amelia repeated the question and Maggie noticed her lower lip trembling, as if she was about to break down at any second. "I'm feeling like I just lost my husband," Amelia said, wrapping both arms around Megan in desperate need of comfort "I'm feeling like the entire world is crashing down around me and there's nothing I can do."

"He is going to get better, Amelia!" Maggie said, supportively. She really believed Owen would come out of that "He is going to recover his memory and soon this will be all but a sad incident."

"You know what?" Amelia snuffed, trying to hold back her tears "I can't do this anymore. Less than a year ago, my mother in law was in a similar situation. And before that, my brother was brain dead. My son was born without a brain. And now my husband is brain damaged? Look at the irony in this, Maggie." Amelia ranted, angry at the universe "And this sucks because whenever the world is collapsing around me, no matter how dark things were, at the end of the day I knew I'd be fine because I had Owen." She shared, feeling emotionally destroyed "But now I'm supposed to handle this and what am I going to do about the kids? They'll ask for him and what am I going to say? If he treated me like I don't fit in his life anymore, what will he do to the kids then? I won't let my children go through the same thing I did, that's a fact." Amelia used her hand to dry one tear that insisted on falling.

"Owen wasn't in his right mind, Amelia" Maggie was sure of that "He'll come around, you'll see. He loves you and he is crazy about those kids. He would never hurt them."

"And he would never hurt me. Not on purpose," Amelia knew that with all her heart but that wasn't the man she knew. "And yet, it happened. But do you know what pisses me off the most?" The hurt was so evident in her eyes that it made Maggie want to cry too "Today, of all days, was the first time in nearly ten years that I stood still and thought about having a drink."

"Amelia," Maggie said, clearly afraid for her friend.

"I won't," Amelia assured her "Even though I really want to, I won't."

Amelia looked up, saw Claire playing in Maggie's lap and smiled tenderly at the scene. The little girl had Maggie's curly hair, chocolate skin and Deluca's amazing blue eyes. Amelia hadn't met Meredith and Maggie's mother, but Meredith insisted Claire's eyes were the same was Ellis Grey's. The little girl was incredibly beautiful and exotic and she was Amelia's goddaughter. Life with their children made absolute sense and Amelia knew that the little ones gave her more strength than she could ever hope for.

Looking again at her own daughter in her arms, she gave Megan a kiss on her rosy cheeks and then looked back at Maggie.

"I don't remember feeling this alone in forever, Maggie."

"You're not alone," Maggie assured her "You have me and Mer and Nate and Andrew. We're here for you, no matter what."

"I know," Amelia let out a heavy sigh and slowly felt her friend involving her with one arm, giving Amelia a tight hug "I don't know what I would do without you, Maggie."

"Mama" Megan looked up at her mom, thinking she'd been called.

"Aunt Maggie, baby," Amelia explained "Maggie, not Meg."

"Mama" Megan blabbered, laughing adorably, showing off her toothless smile.

"You're getting through this, Amelia," Maggie said "You've gotten through much worse and you're still here. You're a fighter."

"I'm tired of fighting, Maggie." Amelia replied with sadness.

"Then don't," Maggie wisely advised "Don't fight it. But also, don't give up."

.

When April entered Owen's room, she found him standing up by the window, looking outside with a heavy frown. The scene wasn't surprising, but when Owen felt her presence, he instantly turned around and the shadow April saw on his face scared her.

"Hey," April closed the door after her, trying to think of what the best approach would be "How are you feeling?"

Owen took a deep breath and looked April in the eye, acknowledging her presence, but he didn't reply, grimly settling for sitting on the couch instead.

"I can't imagine how confused you must be," She said, carefully choosing her words.

"I was hoping you were coming in here to tell me this is nothing but a big joke," He said, very seriously.

"I'm sorry it's not," April grabbed a chair from the small table next to the window and sat in front of him "How is your pain?"

Owen shrugged, dismissing the importance of that.

"Is there anything I can get you?" She loyally asked.

"A memory would be nice," He said roughly and when he finally made eye contact with her, both chuckled nervously.

"This sucks," April said without modesty "What's going on in your head? What are you thinking?"

Owen stopped for a moment and analyzed the answer to her question slowly. Truth was he had no idea.

"I don't know," He shifted on the couch, nervously "I keep trying to remember something; _anything_. But nothing comes to me."

"What's the last thing you remember?"

"Hm, I don't know… I think maybe setting up a no dating at work rule recently. And then…" He frowned, obviously trying to remember something "I remember Cristina left and I was feeling like crap over it but then I got over her… And then. I don't know. Maybe Derek and Meredith were going to move to DC?"

"Owen," April took a deep breath, not sure he'd be ready for what she'd say next "Derek is dead."

"What?" Owen's eyes were wide with shock "No, that can't be, how…"

"He died in a car accident not long after the events you're telling me."

"Derek died?"

"Yes," April replied, somberly "Years ago. He was in a car crash on his way to the airport."

"And Meredith?" Owen was still visibly shocked.

"She is fine. She is here. Her kids are here. Everyone is fine." April was glad to be giving at least some happy news.

Owen took some time digesting the awful news and when he was finally able to think with reason again, he couldn't hold his thoughts:

"And I married Derek's sister?" He pondered, still finding it hard to believe "How did that happen, April? She is crazy, completely unbalanced and impulsive. Not at all the kind of woman I'm usually attracted to."

That sentence made April laugh hardly. Owen really had no idea. If the situation wasn't so grave, it would be hilarious to hear him speaking ill of the wife he loved so much.

"You're head over heels for her," She said, honestly.

"I am?" Owen raised one eyebrow, intrigued "But how come? I can't imagine being with her. She talks too much and too fast. I can't keep up."

"You've learned over the years how to deal with her brilliance," His friend shared. "You guys are the most annoyingly happy couple I know."

Owen frowned, not quite believing it.

"I treated her like crap," He confessed. "She was telling me to calm down and I freaked out because… Well, to be honest, she feels like a complete stranger."

"She knows you better than anyone," April told him, glad he was finally being the friend she knew and loved.

"She didn't deserve to hear what I said," He realized, consumed by guilt "How do I deal with this, April? I don't know what to say to her. I don't know how to make things better. I don't even know where to start."

"You can start by apologizing," The trauma surgeon wisely suggested. "She will be happy to hear it and it's a good way to start a conversation."

He took a deep breath, thinking about what April had just said. She was probably right, like always.

"You know, if you don't know what to say," She advised him "Put yourself in her shoes. And try to think for a moment like the spouse that's going through the loss."

"I guess you're right. Do you have any idea where she could be?"

"I have to go upstairs see a patient." April said. "I will look for her and tell her you want to see her. It may be hours since you told her to go but I am pretty convinced she is still lingering somewhere around here."

"Yeah? You think?"

"It's Amelia," April said with admiration "She never gives up and she would never give up on you. You mean the world to her."

"Thanks, April."

"Yeah, after you get your memory back you'll owe me one." She decided, leaving the room in a much lighter atmosphere than when she had arrived.

.

It was nearly five pm when Owen heard a knock on his door.

"Come in," He said, unsure of what would happen next. Ever since his talk with April, he had been anxiously waiting for Amelia to return so he could apologize and then talk to her. There had been so much uncertainty lately that he wasn't sure what exactly was the cause of his frequent headache, that or the actual physical trauma.

Amelia walked in, slowly closing the door after her and leaning on it, as if trying to keep her distance from him.

"Hi" Owen sheepishly said, quickly sitting up on the bed when he noticed her presence.

Amelia gave him a shy smile and hesitantly walked into the room. After the events of the previous morning, she wasn't sure she wanted to hear what he had to say. April had called her hours before saying Owen had asked for her presence in his room, but she had been delaying going there because she wasn't sure what would happen. And she was scared the situation might get even worse. That she wouldn't be able to bear.

"I am sorry," Owen started and she could see it in his eyes he really meant it "I freaked out and I was rude and inconsiderate," He admitted, consumed by guilt and embarrassment. He hadn't quite digested the news yet and had taken it out on her. "I didn't put myself in your place and that was completely wrong of me, not to mention selfish. What I said was unforgivable. I am sorry, but I am still freaking out."

"I know." Amelia said honestly. Finally, something good. To her immense relief, the man she knew and loved was still there somewhere. "I am freaking out too."

Owen reached out a hand but he hesitantly took it back.

"I don't know how to deal with this," Owen sighed, unable to look at her directly in the eyes "In my head, yesterday I was a divorced man, and today I woke up married to Amelia Shepherd."

"Hunt," Amelia corrected him.

"Sorry?" Owen thought she was calling his name.

"Hunt," Amelia repeated, very seriously. "Amelia Shepherd Hunt."

"You have my name?" Owen's heart was struck with shock and something else he couldn't quite identify.

"I added your name to mine six months after we got married." Amelia put both her hands in her white coat pockets and slowly sat down on the edge of the bed.

"Why?" Owen frowned, looking at her in the eye, searching for an honest answer. That was a very traditional thing to do and he couldn't associate a strong, independent woman like Amelia with it.

"Because I was proud I was married to you," Amelia confessed. The man she loved sat in front of her and he didn't remember one moment of all the amazing memories they had created together. He didn't remember he loved her and because of that, he couldn't feel it. She was scared to death that he might never remember her again, even though she knew that medically that was completely illogical and unlikely. "We wanted to be a family and I thought that was a good way to start it. We were being ordinary." She smiled shyly, remembering the morning she'd told Owen she wanted to add his name to hers.

"How did this happen?" He asked, both to himself and to Amelia "How?"

Owen had never looked at Amelia _that way_. He had seen her many times in the hospital, he'd spoken to her and they'd had cases together. He had always noticed she was a beautiful woman.

But he had never noticed how blue her eyes really were. Or how flawless her ivory skin was. It looked like porcelain and Owen wanted to touch it just to find out if it felt as soft and smooth as it looked.

"We bonded over a case" Amelia confessed "And then some more. You believed in me when very little people did; when I myself didn't. You offered me support and I noticed right then how amazing you were. And then it happened."

"This is just too surreal," Owen was overwhelmed and humbled by her description of him.

"Finally we agree on something," Amelia said, seeing his forehead frowning as he tried hard to remember but couldn't.

"I can't believe we're married," He was still in shock.

"Sometimes I wake up and can't either" She shared with a teasing grin.

"Why?" He asked, unsure of how he felt about that. "Do we fight a lot?"

Amelia looked at him, intrigued at his curiosity. She genuinely smiled for the first time.

"No," She confessed, seeing his face brighten up at the information "I mean, sometimes we fight but in general we get along really well. We respect each other and take care of each other."

Owen smiled, happy to hear that. When he had first found out he was married to a woman he barely knew, it was the scariest scenario he could ever imagine. But hearing Amelia describe how their life together apparently was gave him more joy than he would admit. _"You mean the world to her."_ April's words echoed in his head and Owen heard himself asking before he could contain it:

"Do we love each other?" Once he realized he'd blurted out the words he looked at her intrigued and embarrassed at the same time "I mean... Are we happy? Do we make each other happy?"

Amelia looked at him in the eye and she felt her heart fluttering with love and longing. She needed her husband back, and soon or she'd go crazy.

"We are very happy," She didn't realize the silly smile that was on her lips as she said the words. Looking deeply into Owen's eyes, suddenly her own became more serious as she confessed "We love each other very much."

Owen stretched out his hand once again and he was about to reach for hers when the sound of the door opening startled both of them.

"Excuse me, Dr. Hunt. It's time for me to get your vitals now," One of the floor nurses walked in.

Amelia cleared her throat and quickly got up, suddenly feeling awful. She felt like a magical moment had just been broken and yet she didn't even know why.

"I think you should rest now," She told him when the nurse finally left the room. "It's gonna be bad neurologically speaking if you excite yourself too much."

"No!" Owen protested, faster than he'd planned. He hadn't wanted her presence earlier but now he had felt the taste of it, he was delighted by it. "Please, tell me more."

Amelia knew that wasn't probably a good idea but she couldn't resist it. Owen was finally being his sweet self again, the husband she was so familiar with, and maybe if he heard about their lives it would help him remember something.

"What would you like to know?"

The question caught him off guard and Owen looked around, trying to improvise. He saw a wedding band on her finger and on top of it, a bigger one, probably an engagement ring.

"How did I propose to you?"

He didn't know why she found the question so funny until she stopped heartily laughing and replied:

"You didn't." The confusion was evident on his face until Amelia cleared things out "I did. I proposed to you."

"You did?" His face lit up with mirth. He would never have imagined it. "And I said yes, obviously."

"Yes," Amelia took her right hand to her left finger, slowly turning the ring around "But you didn't get me this until months later. That's why I have it. You told me this was a promise that you'd always be there for me."

"And this morning I failed," The smile that was on his face quickly vanished as he realized the situation. Owen was a man of his words, and yet he had failed her. He hated that feeling.

"You did not," Amelia said, leaning over to gently rub his arm. "Let's forget about this morning. You apologized and I accepted it. Let's move on."

"Thank you," Owen really was grateful.

"I have to go now," She said, sad to be leaving him.

"Why?" He was even sadder to see her go "I don't want to stay alone here. I know I told you I didn't want to see you but that's not true. I want to see you. I need to know more, so I can try and remember things." He tried to bargain with her.

"Yes," Amelia agreed with a smile, proud to see he was determined to try and wasn't denying reality anymore "I want that too but I have to go pick up the kids. They're at sch…"

"The _kids_?" Owen's eyes widened and he leaned forward, as if trying to get a better look of her face "What kids?"

"Our kids," Amelia replied with a chuckle. Things had been so intense and hectic that she hadn't realized they hadn't mentioned their children up until now. "Sorry, I didn't mean to blurt it out, it came out of me so naturally that I…"

"We have kids," Owen interrupted her again, as if trying to convince himself of it. His eyes were lost and he looked disoriented. "I am a dad."

"Yes, you are," Amelia's dimples were visible when she smiled, contaminated by his effusive joy. "The best dad, in fact."

"But…" Owen lifted his head, looking at her again. He couldn't believe it. In his mind, not too long ago Cristina had aborted his child. His biggest dream had always been to be a father but he had somehow accepted that it would never come true. He had believed it and told himself he'd accepted it. And yet, now he had _kids_. More than one, apparently. "Where are they? How…?"

There were a thousand questions in his eyes and Amelia intended to answer every single one of them.

"Our daughter is upstairs in daycare," She said, not saying Megan's name on purpose. If Owen didn't remember her, he surely didn't remember telling her about his sister and she didn't want to bring up memories that might cause him pain, not now when he was so blissfully enchanted. "She is nine months old."

"Can I see her?" Owen immediately asked.

"I'll bring her down here after I go pick up the boys," Amelia decided. He couldn't stop smiling excitedly and she felt her chest aching with love for him. Owen loved their kids so much that she couldn't describe how happy she was to be giving him the news. "Look, there is a picture of her." Amelia grabbed her cell phone, showing a picture of him with their daughter.

Owen looked at the screen and he couldn't believe his eyes. It really was him, lying on a bed with an adorable baby by his side, smiling contagiously.

"She is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen," He declared, with complete honesty. Then his eyes came up from the screen and he looked at her. There were tears accumulating around his two crystal blue globes and Amelia couldn't help tearing up too, but this time, out of happiness. "I can't believe this. She is so perfect." His eyes lingered on Megan for a while longer and he gave her the phone back. "What about the others? How many do we have?"

Amelia knew he was about to be scared by her answer.

"Five."

" _Five?!"_

"Yes," She confirmed with a chuckle and then went over the pictures on her cell phone again. He looked at her anxiously and excitedly and she loved to be able to give him news he was so clearly enjoying "This is Lucas, our oldest," Amelia showed his image to Owen. He saw a strong, seemingly healthy young boy with messy blonde hair smiling widely at the camera "He is seven now and he has more energy than a nuclear bomb," Amelia laughed, thinking about her dear son "He is finishing first grade now, which makes us really proud because he has dyslexia and struggles a bit in school but he is so happy, Owen. He is so happy and positive all the time… He taught us a lot when he was born and it is so rewarding to us to see him grow up healthy and happy."

Owen looked from the phone to her again, noticing how incredible their son looked.

"And this is Thomas," Amelia slid the camera roll on the phone, showing a picture of their second born. "He is six years old and he has your eyes. Tom is the smartest kid in the world but that's not the best thing about him," Amelia was being honest. "He has the biggest heart I've ever seen and he is so decent... So kind. You're always telling me how proud you are of him because of that… We both are."

"They sound amazing," Owen was taken aback. Never in his wildest dreams would he have imagined he would be the father to such incredible children. "I can't wait to see them. And what about the other two?" He asked with a mix of anxiety and excitement.

"These," Amelia slid the cell phone again, this time showing a picture of herself kneeling down between the twins. The picture had been taken at their preschool on mother's day "are Robbie and Danny. You often say they are like two little tornadoes, because they're never still and they are always running around." Amelia smiled at the memory of the day the picture had been taken "They are three years old now and sometimes even the two of us have trouble telling who is who. They have their own secret language no one understands and it's great to see how they stick up for each other, even when they're still so young."

"They..." Owen couldn't help noting the similarities in the twins "They look a bit like me, don't they?"

Amelia smiled at him, seeing the mix of pride and happiness on his face.

"They look _exactly_ like you," She admitted. Long ago, she had gotten used to the fact all their children looked more like Owen than her, except maybe for Thomas who, despite his father's eyes, had his mother's more delicate features.

"I have to go pick them up now." She said, sad to leave him. "If I don't make it to school in time they'll be worried."

"I still can't believe this," Owen said, grinning from ear to ear. "This is crazy. It's surreal."

Amelia held his hand and agreed with her head.

"It's very real," She tried to convince him.

"I know this is weird but… Can I keep your phone while you go? I want to see their pictures."

"You don't need my phone," Amelia reached out for the nightstand and grabbed his own, putting in the password for him before going to the camera roll "Here," She said, seeing his face light up at the sight of numerous pictures "Have fun with those."

"And there are videos too," He cheered, excited for the first time since the day before.

"I'll be back soon," She said, finding it even harder to leave him after he had been so excited by the information she had shared.

"I can't wait," Owen said before he could filter his thoughts and once Amelia was nearly out the door, he impulsively asked "And when you come back, will you bring in the whole family?"

Amelia stood by the door and smiled at him, seeing the expectant and hopeful look on his face. He might have had a hard time with the idea they were a family before, but he was certainly enjoying it now.

"Yes," She replied, excitedly. Nothing would make her happier at that moment. "I'll definitely bring the whole family."

Enviado do meu iPhone


	7. Back to the Start - Part Three

**My Boys Drabbles – Back to the Start: Part 3**

Owen paced back and forth inside the room, anxiously waiting. Aside from a minor headache around the area he had been hit, he felt perfectly fine.

The fact that he couldn't remember the events of the past years was really driving him into a state of utter anxiety, but he was slowly learning how to cope with it. Once he had been alone, with time to calm down and breathe, he had decided to use reason instead of emotion so he could rationally get through the situation.

First, he had to deal with the facts he had: Ten years had passed since his last memory and he had a lot to catch up on. That included the family he had created with a woman he barely knew. According to April, Owen was crazy in love with her. And according to Amelia herself, she and Owen got along very well. And they had beautiful children they both seemed to love very much.

When put in that perspective, Owen could very well say that the nightmare he had woken up to was in fact much more like a dream. It always had been his biggest desire to have a wife and children, and apparently now he had it all. With the bonus of being completely happy with them.

The only downside was that he couldn't remember any of it.

Owen was still pondering about that when he heard a muffled knock on his door and instantly turned around, feeling his heart race with anticipation. Amelia Shepherd, the crazy neurosurgeon he had hired and then married was standing outside the door, and she had his children with her. _Their_ children. Owen was still trying to process that when he watched as she slowly opened the door, swiftly walking inside the room and closing the door after her.

"Hi," He said, embarrassingly "You came back."

"I said I would," She smiled tenderly at him, noticing he was out of bed.

"Is everything okay?" Owen couldn't contain his excitement. "Where are they?"

"You'll see them in a minute," Amelia pointed to the bed, making him sit on it and then sitting on its edge, opposite to him "Okay, so… before we do this, I thought we should discuss some things just to be sure." Owen looked at her very intrigued, but once she realized she had his full attention, Amelia proceeded "The kids were home with us yesterday when you had the accident, so they saw you had hurt your head. I dropped them off at your mom's on the way here. When I picked them up from school just now, they were asking about you and I told them you're fine," The glow of satisfaction in his eyes when Amelia mentioned the kids had asked for him didn't go unnoticed "But I haven't told them you lost your memory." Amelia took a deep breath, trying to find the best words to explain "First, because I hope you'll recover from it soon and there is no point stressing them out over this. Second, because I think they'd be heartbroken if they realized you forgot about them." She saw the look of anguish on his face and tried to make the situation better "Don't feel guilty about this, it's not your fault."

"But, what will I do, then?" Owen asked, completely lost. His intention of keeping strictly rational had circled the drain within minutes of her presence. "You've changed your mind about letting them see me?" He stated his biggest concern.

"No, of course not," Amelia chuckled, realizing what his biggest worry was "Of course you'll see them, you're their dad and they wouldn't shut up about it if they didn't know where you were. But here is what I propose we do: For the time being, we'll try to have you around them only when I'm also present. Our daughter and the twins probably won't notice much has changed, but Luke and Tommy certainly will, and if they start asking questions, I have to be there to answer them."

"Okay," Owen agreed. She made absolute sense and he took pride in realizing how protective and thoughtful she was as a mother. It made him feel like he had somehow gotten lucky to have her as the mother of his children, even though he still didn't know that much about Amelia.

"Whenever they ask you something that you don't know, distract them with football or soccer," She advised "And for the love of God, don't let them indulge you in physical shenanigans, because they will try to."

"Okay," Owen smiled widely. He didn't know his sons yet, but he already found them adorable.

"Your mom is outside with them," She explained. "I filled her in on what happened on the way here and she is devastated. Please, try to be patient because she won't be." Amelia advised with caution. "Alright, I'll go get them now."

She was almost at the door when she heard his voice.

"Wait, Amelia…" As she turned around, Amelia saw him smiling with his eyes "Our daughter. You haven't told me her name yet."

Amelia breathed in and out and smiled shyly, knowing the information would likely mess with him.

"Her name is Megan."

Owen heard her words and broke eye contact with her, swallowing hard. He didn't remember telling anyone about his sister, and the whole situation was still too painful. After a few seconds, he searched for her eyes again and asked, seriously:

"I suppose her name choice wasn't a coincidence?"

"No," Amelia saw the shadow of sadness in his eyes. She wanted to hold and comfort him "It wasn't a coincidence."

"So that means I told you about my sister." He stated, more to himself than her.

"We tell each other everything, Owen," Amelia informed him. "I know pretty much everything there is to know about you."

"That's scary," He said, somberly, but then his face lost all tension as his lips formed a smile "And very comforting at the same time."

Amelia nodded sympathetically, delighting him with a sample of her dimples and for once left the room.

And then, after a few seconds, Owen finally saw them. Their kids walked in one by one, obviously making a big effort to contain themselves.

"Dad!" The oldest boy spoke, unable to strictly follow his mom's orders to be calm and gentle. Lucas quickly climbed on the bed and roughly sat on his father's legs, obviously fighting for his attention.

"Hi," Owen looked at the seven year old and felt like his entire world had changed in a fraction of seconds "Hi, Lucas."

"Take it easy, Luke!" Amelia stopped him from exciting himself as Thomas went around the mattress, pulling Owen's arm to get up on the bed too. Owen helped him get there, seeing how adorable he was.

"Everyone is here," He studied his children, one by one, amazed by what he saw. The identical twins were laughing and poking each other, oblivious to everything else around them. And his baby girl was high in his mother's arms.

Evelyn approached the bed and Megan instantly threw herself in Owen's arms when she saw him, giving him a wide smile.

"Hey, princess," Owen held the baby for what it felt like the first time, unable to believe she was actually his. She was the exact picture of a healthy infant and Owen couldn't contain a heartfelt laughter when she grabbed both his ears with her chubby hands and pulled his face toward her, gluing her lips to his face.

"Owen," Evelyn stood beside him and Owen looked up to meet her gaze, deeply grateful to see a familiar face, especially someone who knew him so well and he trusted with all his heart.

"Mom," His voice had a desperate plea in them. "I am so sorry this is happening," He said, knowing the amount of stress he was causing her.

"You don't have to be sorry about anything," Evelyn assured him, while Lucas and Thomas bickered at each other, making Megan laugh.

Owen nodded, grateful for her presence and her support and then his eyes traveled to the twins on the floor.

"Hey you two," He smiled affectionately, realizing they were the only ones who weren't in bed with them. Their picture didn't do them justice, Amelia had been right: they didn't look a bit like their dad; they looked _exactly_ like him. "Come up here!"

Amelia held them, one by one, and placed them on whichever corner of the bed she found available, seeing their faces light up when they joined the fun.

"Did you break your head, dad?" Lucas asked with simplicity. Owen loved how easy and straightforward he seemed to be.

"It was only a small cut," Owen tried not to give too much importance to it, but just as he was about to explain it better, he heard Thomas speaking:

"But it's okay, right? Because mom is a head doctor so she can fix you, can't she, dad?"

Owen looked at Amelia and exchanged a smile with her. Their children were so absolutely adorable he couldn't fit that amount of joy and pride inside his chest.

"Yes, sure" He was contaminated by the expectation in Thomas' eyes. "Mom will fix me."

As Owen said it, his eyes searched for Amelia's, knowing in his heart his words had meant much more than she could imagine.

"Won't you ask us, dad?" Lucas interrupted his thoughts, containing himself not to jump up and down that very inviting bed.

"Ask you…what?" Owen looked from the children to Amelia, in clear need of help.

"Ask us if we know how much you love us," Thomas instructed him, before Amelia could reply.

Owen's uncertainty was evident in his eyes and Amelia nodded affirmatively, as if saying he should go along with the request.

"Do you know how much I love you?" He asked the same thing he didn't know he asked his kids nearly every night.

"Too much," One of the twins got ahead of the others and replied, making Owen swallow hard in order to hold his emotion.

Amelia and Evelyn had to keep reminding the kids not to excite themselves too much around their dad or they would end up hurting him on the head. Amelia was amazed by the instant connection Owen had made with the kids, as if he didn't need to remember the five of them to instantly fall in love with each one just as hard as it had always been.

"Momma, I wanna go home," Danny said after about half an hour. Amelia knew it was close to their dinner time and if they didn't eat, they quickly started to get cranky.

"Ok, baby, I'm just about to take you guys home," She said to him and then gave her attention back to Megan, who had been playing with a puppet on her lap for the past twenty minutes.

"You guys are going home?" Owen asked, heartbroken.

"I have to take them home at some point," Amelia smiled at him. Evelyn had left a few minutes before, after making sure Owen was alright and she still had to take the kids home and figure out some kind of dinner for them. "They can't be here all night, they have homework and dinner and…"

"I'll help," He said, dreading the idea of being alone with his amnesia again. "I'll help out with whatever you want. Just please… don't go."

"Well, I guess we can stay for a while longer."

"Dad, I wanna go home," Danny asked his father this time. The three year old didn't understand his father was a patient in the hospital.

"I wish I could go too, kiddo." Owen gently caressed the boy's hair with his hand.

"Well, then come," Amelia blurted. After she realized she'd said it, the idea made even more sense. She noticed the look of surprise on Owen's face as she suggested it and then explained "Well, you're not sick. All your scans are clear, you have no sign of intracranial hypertension and you're taking oral medication for the pain. If it were any other patient, you would already have been discharged."

"But," Owen had been so thrilled at her suggestion that he needed to make sure she was one hundred percent sure of it. There was nothing he wanted more than to be close to the children he'd just found he had "Will it be okay for you? I mean, it's like having a complete stranger in the house." He spoke after he made sure the kids were distracted and weren't listening to them.

"You're not a stranger to us, Owen," Amelia reminded him "You may not remember us, but we remember you. You're their dad," She pointed to their kids with her eyes and then looked back at him "You're my husband. You might not know me, but I know you. You're not a stranger in our house. You belong there with us."

Owen took a deep breath, feeling a mix of guilt, angst and longing. He wanted more than anything to remember them, to give back as much as they seemed to give him. He barely remembered Amelia, but she was caring for him in a way he had never seen any woman ever do. It was still hard to believe that was his reality now, and he just didn't know it yet.

"I don't want to say anything that might draw their attention to the current circumstances," He let her know, avoiding to say out loud that he had lost his memory for the sake of the children.

"Then don't," Amelia stretched out a hand for him and Owen hesitated, finally deciding to take it. "Being here won't do you any good and I can take care of you at home while you help me take care of the kids," She smiled invitingly, trying to be as positive as possible for him, despite being really scared at the situation "Maybe the familiar scenarios at home will help you remember things faster," She suggested, to let him know she firmly believed he would recover from the amnesia.

"Alright then," He smiled at her, already feeling his heart racing with anticipation.

.

When they made it home that evening, Amelia decided to order dinner so they could all spend more time together, in an attempt to help Owen settle in better. He was amazed to find out about the beautiful house they lived in and he had spent at least one hour inspecting every photograph in the room, asking her a question every time he saw something that intrigued him.

Owen never could have imagined he would one day feel so blissfully happy and fulfilled as that average weeknight, having take out Chinese food with his wife and their five children. Children that were so adorable and downright amazing that Owen couldn't help smiling at.

And a wife that was so intriguing that she surprised him with new information about her every hour.

When he had first woken up from his trauma and found out he was married to her, Owen would have described her as a crazy, ill-tempered child woman, a typical younger sibling who was very used to getting things her way and who just also happened to be brilliant at her job.

But as the day had progressed, he was given several hints that helped him thoroughly understand how he had come to fall in love with her.

Amelia was kind, generous and caring. She was affectionate and wasn't afraid or embarrassed of showing it, much on the contrary: she seemed to be completely comfortable while saying and doing things that touched his heart. She was trying her best to make him feel at home, despite the awkward situation they were in and she graciously handled everything without once complaining about it or making him feel guilty over what had happened. Amelia made it all look so easy, but Owen knew that deep down, she must have been putting a great deal of effort at keeping things together at their household and he had no idea how to let her know how grateful he was for all of that.

"Why don't you go take a shower now," She suggested "To wash the hospital off of you? I'll start the kids' bedtime routine."

"Sure, as long as you let me clean up here first," He bargained with her, adamant about contributing somehow.

Amelia nodded at him, agreeing proudly. The husband she knew had initiative and responsibility and that was exactly what Owen was showing at the moment. She quickly took care of the boys after showing him their bedroom and en suite, and when he said he was really tired because of the side effect of his pain meds, Amelia helped him get in bed, telling him to make himself comfortable.

She then went to the bathroom and left him there to get familiar with the room.

Owen looked around, seeing the unfamiliar surroundings. The bedroom they were in was huge, as was their bed. The high walls were painted with a dark shade of burgundy, contrasting with the ivory doors and furniture. Everything was classy and of good taste and he seriously doubted he had been the one to choose the beautiful decoration.

Amelia had told him which side of the bed was his and he sat there, his legs under the warm blankets as his back rested against fluffy pillows. She had turned on the TV in the room because the noise helped to distract him but he wasn't paying any attention; his eyes were still scanning everything surrounding the bed instead.

He noticed the dark wood nightstand by his side. There was a pair of reading glasses on top of it, a journal of Trauma Medicine, an elegant reading lamp and a framed picture. Owen's curiosity grew as he picked up the frame to inspect the image in it more carefully.

Amelia had her cheek pressed against his, snuggling next to him while smiling adorably to the camera. Owen noticed how beautiful and contagious her smile was and it hit him once again that Amelia was his _wife_. She certainly meant a great deal to him, considering he had her picture on his own nightstand.

And he had _been_ with her. Many times, he bet. He seriously doubted that he in his right mind would ever have a wife like that and be able to keep his hands away from her for too long. Together, they had made those beautiful babies who now slept peacefully in their rooms. He was sure each time with her had been amazing. So, how could he not remember any of that?

He wondered if Amelia was one of quiet ones, or if she liked to dominate and be on top. Was she shy or did she let go completely? He had no idea, but if he had to guess, he would definitely say she was wild and completely giving in bed. Owen could very well close his eyes and vividly imagine her looking at him with those huge angelical blue eyes, smiling provocatively while naked in his bed, almost begging him to give her what she wanted. He didn't know why, but he was sure she was very good in bed and could easily make him lose all control.

Owen closed his eyes again, trying to extinguish those thoughts from his mind. Now was not the time or place to be thinking about this, and it certainly wasn't the right situation. He didn't remember knowing the woman, no matter how close to him she in fact was, so it was only wise to leave that complicated part aside and focus on the only thing that mattered: recovering his memory.

He was still trying to get rid of those thoughts when the bathroom door was opened and she slowly walked out of it. Owen wanted to look away, but he was mesmerized when he noticed Amelia's slim figure graciously making her way to the closet. She had her back turned to him as she stretched out her arms to apparently place something on a high shelf.

And Owen couldn't help staring. Her tiny feet were bare and she was wearing shorts that only covered halfway to her thighs, exposing her feminine, shapely legs. Her hair was loose on a brown cascade of gentle waves, and as she stood on the tips of her toes, trying to make up for her short height, a stretch of skin was visible between the hem of her shorts and the white top she had on.

Owen felt an instant rush of blood that went straight to his lower abdomen and he immediately hated himself for not acting rationally.

"Do you need help with that?" He asked, trying to distract himself from his inappropriate thoughts.

"Thanks, I got it," Amelia turned around and smiled at him, finally able to place the hairdryer in its place "I am sorry I woke you, I was trying to be as silent as possible."

"You didn't," Owen quickly corrected her, unable to take his eyes off her body as she skillfully tied her hair up in a loose bun. "What is this?"

"What?" She was startled when she noticed the sudden change on his expression, as if something totally new had just happened "What is it, Owen?"

"I think I remember something," His eyes were wide with surprise and he smiled widely, unable to hold it back "I think it's the smell, I am not sure what it is, but I know for sure I've felt this before."

"A smell?" Amelia tried not to sound disappointed. When he'd said he thought he remembered something, she was hoping for a concrete memory, but apparently that was not the case. "What is it?" She asked, pulling her covers to get in the bed.

As she got closer to him, obviously preparing herself for bedtime, Owen leaned over and not subtly sniffed her.

"It's you!" He realized, with surprise and then without ceremony, he bent over her, breathing in the scent of her hair "It's your hair," He smiled widely, absolute certain he had felt it before.

"I just washed my hair and dried it," Amelia commented, with a frown.

"I know this smell," Owen leaned in once again to feel it. She smelled like vanilla. And familiarity.

"I guess this is good," She said, seeing how satisfied he was. It added expectation to her eyes too. "It's a start."

"Yeah," Owen said, realizing he was sitting too close to her. Their faces were only inches apart and he motioned forward, attracted by her amazing scent. His eyes traveled from her eyes to her red, inviting lips. He was having a hard time ignoring the fact that his unknown wife was not only caring and dedicated; she was extremely desirable as well. Roughly pulling apart, he asked "Do you always dress like that?" He hadn't planned to have his voice come out so judgmental. He was angry at himself for not being able to control his own desire, and not at her. But Amelia didn't know that, so she assumed he sounded mad at her.

"Like what?" Amelia frowned in confusion.

"Like _that_ " Owen said suggestively, pointing to her naked thighs and semi transparent white top.

Amelia frowned even harder.

"Oh!" She realized what he meant after long seconds. She had been married to Owen for so long that it had been years since she planned what to wear for bed, except in a few special occasions. "Am I making you uncomfortable?" She asked, wondering if having him there was a good idea after all. He looked confused and at some level, agitated.

Owen noticed the worry on her clean face, void of any make up. Her blue eyes were shining with concern; her rosy cheeks were flushing with embarrassment and her red lips were the most inviting he had ever seen. Owen wanted to touch her more than anything, but he wasn't sure that was a good idea.

"I think you're beautiful." Only when he heard the words that Owen realized he had said them.

Amelia looked at him expectantly, almost anxiously. But then her frown dissolved and her face lit up with a beautiful smile that grew from the corner of her lips all the way to her eyes.

"Memory or no memory," She confessed, staring lovingly into his eyes "You always know what to say to sweep me off my feet."

Owen smiled back at her, unsure of what to say. She was making him feel things he had never felt before, for anyone, and the vulnerability of it all was scary.

"Tell me more," He asked, watching her lie down on the pillow, inviting him to do the same.

"What would you like to hear about?"

"You."

Amelia saw the sparkle in his eyes and returned his smile, thinking about their entire new situation. She wasn't used to that. Not anymore.

When she had first started dating Owen, she remembered the feeling of butterflies flying in her stomach, the magical seconds of anticipation before every kiss and that amazing sensation of floating in the air whenever he touched her.

But over the years, all those feelings had grown into a steady intimacy. After eight years of marriage, Owen was still as caring and amazing when they were together, but instead of the surprise, there was trust, and instead of the hungry anxiety they now had comfortable familiarity.

They didn't need to take every step of their intimacy slowly anymore because they already knew what each other liked or didn't. They had learned over the years how to consolidate the perfect recipe for when they were together and now Amelia noticed in his eyes that pretty much all of it was gone, together with his memory. When she came out of the shower, never would it cross her mind the thought of dressing differently because her clothes might be too intimate. They were sharing a bed, after all! And it was nothing he hadn't seen before, anyway. Owen might not remember, but she certainly did and it was only fair she kept acting the same way she had always acted.

But now he wanted to hear more about her and it was better than to discuss with him how casually she dressed for bed.

"Hmm," Amelia tried to think of random things that might please him to hear and, that at the same time, could be useful to them in their daily routine. "I usually wake up really early," She turned sideways, propped her head on one elbow and looked at him, seeing him turn his head to face her "I like sweets and you often tease me about it," She shared, laughing along him "I never cared for sports but ever since we had the kids, you obsess about it so much with them that I actually did learn the rules to football," She playfully rolled her eyes as he obviously rejoiced in the information "I even know what a field goal is and all that… And I absolutely love it how you always say that we are a team."

"Yeah?" Owen felt his heart fluttering.

"Team Hunt," Amelia informed him, "the kids are so used to it that they say it all the time too."

"They are everything I've ever wanted and yet they are so perfect I couldn't have imagined them like that. Does that make sense?"

Amelia laughed, knowing too well what he meant.

"They sure are incredible."

She noticed the tired look on his face as the painkillers started to kick in. Seeing he was barely able to keep his eyes opened, she leaned in, grabbing his hand and giving it a squeeze before bringing her head back to her pillow.

But, to her surprise, Owen stretched out one arm, silently inviting her. And when Amelia lay her head on his chest, peacefully listening to the steady sound of his heartbeat, she was finally able to rest her eyes and relax completely.

.

During the following days, Owen learned more information than he thought he would ever be capable of. Every day, he got up early with Amelia and helped get the kids ready for school while she made breakfast. Then, she would drop off the children on her way to work with Megan, who spent her morning and afternoons at the hospital's daycare.

Owen spent his days exploring the house, watching old videos and going through old photographs, trying to gather everything possible that could help him recover his memory. Because of his head injury, he would be off work on medical leave for quite a while, giving him plenty of time to dedicate it entirely to his family.

And the moments with them were his favorite part of the day. Every day, he longed for spending time with the kids, playing with them and learning about them. And then, after they had eaten dinner together and the kids had gone to bed, he enjoyed having Amelia to himself. They would often talk for hours in a row and those were his most productive moments.

He had heard from her about the first house they'd moved into, right after he had sold his trailer. He heard about the night he found out she was pregnant with Lucas, and then with Thomas. He now knew about their trip to Hawaii to which he had seen pictures, and also about their trip to Disneyworld shortly after Amelia had become pregnant with Megan.

He had also found out about his mother and her tumor, and how Amelia had stepped into the surgery even though she had just given birth to Megan. And she had told him in details the complicated surgery she had performed on his mother and then described in famous journals as her own cutting edge technique.

The more Owen knew about her, the more he liked her. Every time she told him something amusing, she would smile and laugh along with him. And whenever she told him something sad, like the death of her brother or his mother's tumor, she had a unique way of detailing events at the same time she found words to comfort him. Even in the times when she was the one who needed to be comforted.

Owen wished he had stepped up then. He had grown to admire and appreciate the woman he was married to in those last few days, but he also couldn't deny he was feeling more attracted to her by the minute. Every night, they would lie on the same bed and he had to make a herculean effort not to touch her while she enchanted him more and more. She would always come home and greet him with a smile and kind words, sometimes making him forget about his amnesia completely.

"Will you help me fasten this car seat?" She asked on a cold gray morning, obviously struggling to put the seat booster back in its place after the boys had mischievously misplaced it and the buckle had gotten stuck. "Ugh I'm gonna be so late for work!"

"Wait, wait…" Owen took over with his usual patience. Soon after, his experienced craftsmanship paid off as he fixed the buckle belt within seconds.

"Ok, you can go now," He said, closing the door to the minivan after all five kids were properly seated and fastened.

"Alright, I'll go," She smiled at him, feeling the amazing smell of coffee coming from him.

"You're gonna be late," He reminded her when he noticed Amelia wasn't moving, settling for staring at him instead.

"Oh, that's right," She came out of her hypnosis and broke eye contact, nodding disapprovingly at herself. "Bye, babe."

As the words had automatically left her mouth, Amelia had leaned forward to touch his lips with hers, as they so often did. She hadn't thought about it or planned it and midway through the movement, Amelia remembered she couldn't act spontaneously anymore because of their new situation, so she quickly pulled back, turning away from him.

"Bye," She pulled her scarf of her neck, feeling hot all of a sudden. She had just grabbed the car handle to get in and leave when a familiar, strong hand closed around her waist, squeezing her in a way that was delicate and rough at the same time.

Owen pulled her close, making her body collide with his before he tightened his grasp around her, almost immobilizing Amelia. Without giving her time to think or room to flee, Owen's free hand dug through her locks of hair, his trimmed nails digging into her scalp as he brought her face closer and involved her lips with his.

Amelia was surprised by his move, but not at all unhappy with it. In fact, she rejoiced in the familiarity of his touch, especially when he was being as intense as at that moment. She gently pulled apart, staring at him, realizing his pupils were dilated and his breathing was heavy. He stared into her eyes before looking at her lips again, and Amelia knew he would kiss her again the minute she noticed that familiar hungry look on his face.

And as usual, he didn't disappoint. One of his hands closed on the back of her head as his fingers dug into her mass of dark locks. His other hand released her waist, allowing his open palm to run through her back before he finally used his arm to circle around her, pulling her close enough to feel her breasts gently being crushed against his chest.

As Owen deepened his insistent kiss, Amelia parted her lips, allowing access to him. He lost control completely when their tongues touched, holding her face between both his hands to kiss her slowly and erotically.

When they finally pulled apart, he touched her forehead with his and smiled into her eyes.

"Now _this_ is a proper goodbye," He teased, opening the car door for her, guiding her inside while Amelia still recovered from their kiss "So now you can properly say 'bye, babe'" He instructed her, leaning in to steal another hungry kiss before she could drive off to work.


	8. Back to the Start - Part Four (Final)

**Back to the Start – Part Four**

Amelia scrubbed in on three surgeries that day and during each one of them, she couldn't stop thinking about the kiss she'd gotten from her husband that morning.

Had it been any other circumstance, she would have laughed, kissed him back and made dirty promises for later that evening. But the situation now was completely different, because he didn't remember anything about their relationship except for those last few days since he had woken up from his head trauma.

During the previous days, ever since he had gone home, they'd shared the same bed but she knew that everything would be different. He hadn't made any sexual advances, as it was to be expected, and neither had she. Amelia knew that she would not feel comfortable having sex with Owen if he didn't remember who she was. In her mind, it would be something purely physical if it happened like that, as if the past eight years of marriage didn't account to their intimacy anymore. And that's why she avoided those thoughts completely, trying to focus on helping Owen getting his memory back.

He had been home for over a week now and even though there were times he felt like he was about to remember something, Owen hadn't achieved anything concrete yet. The notion was alarming and Amelia tried not to think much into it, otherwise she would panic and that wouldn't be helpful at all. She had five children and a career to think of, so she had to be at her best shape despite Owen's memory condition. If he never regained his memories, they would have a lot of working out to do, but she knew that if it were up to her, they would rebuild what they'd once had piece by piece until everything was okay again.

That was the worst case scenario and Amelia was trying not to consider it. She knew living in denial wouldn't be helpful, but she wasn't ready to face reality yet. Telling herself it was still highly likely Owen would improve his neurological condition, she drove home after picking up the kids from school.

When they made it to the house, she found him in the kitchen, already cooking dinner, exactly like the previous evenings. Owen justified it by saying he had nothing to do all day long, so he entertained himself by trying on new recipes for them. Amelia completely approved of his contribution: first because it kept him busy while focused on the family, and also because Owen had always been a good cook.

Trying to keep herself busy with other chores while he took care of dinner, Amelia went in the small laundry room next to the pantry Owen had hurt himself in and started sorting out the dirty laundry. She had just finished separating the colorful pieces from the white ones when she realized the clothes she was wearing could very well go with the next round she would wash.

Amelia was taking off her top and dark pants and throwing them on the washing machine when she felt Owen's eyes on her back, starring at her from the kitchen isle. Amelia turned around and her eyes met his as he took large strides in her direction, obviously irritated.

"What are you doing?" He angrily whispered at her.

Amelia looked at him in utter confusion, frowning.

"Laundry," She said, thinking it was fairly obvious.

Owen's eyes traveled from her face to her chest, closely examining her delicate black bra and then her flat stomach.

"You can't do that," He visibly meant her undressing.

Amelia felt the anger boiling inside of her too and let out a heavy sigh. It was terrible to have to walk on eggshells in her own house. She was just acting like she had always acted. But now she would have to start analyzing every step she would take before she actually took it and the thought of it alone was already exhausting.

Sighing with frustration, Amelia turned her back to him and started the washing machine. She could feel his eyes on her body but she didn't know how to feel about it.

"What, you're ignoring me now?" Owen's voice showed his clear irritation.

"Geez, back off, you've seen me naked a thousand times before" She was becoming increasingly angry at him and his annoyance toward things she did the same way she had been doing them for the past ten years.

"No" He corrected her. "I have not seen it."

Amelia looked up at him, first in confusion, but only until she noticed he was obviously struggling. Then she finally realized why he was getting so mad.

When she had rationally analyzed that she had every good reason not to have sex with Owen yet because that would potentially only drive them apart, she had left a very important factor out of the equation:

Their amazing physical attraction.

During nearly ten years of dating and marriage, she had always been insanely drawn to him, and their chemistry was something that couldn't be described. They had always had a very active and healthy sex life and even though Owen didn't remember it, his body certainly did. And so did hers. So, to have him standing there looking at her with that famine in his eyes made her want to reconsider all the decisions she'd made regarding him.

"I hadn't thought of that," She said with honesty, because she didn't know what else to say.

"I may not have a memory but I'm still a man, Amelia" He looked at her body very suggestively, expressing how affected by her sight he was "So, if you could stop showing off skin, I'd be really grateful."

Owen had turned his back on her and was about to leave when he heard her voice, in a mix of anger and insecurity. Amelia hadn't planned to say those things but the words fired from her mouth before she could stop them.

"Why does it bother you so much to see a woman naked? You've seen women naked before, Owen, it's not a big deal." She lectured him, irritated and frustrated. She didn't want to be just some woman he looked at and felt turned on by. Because she wasn't just _some woman_. She was his wife. They had a history. Every time they went to bed together, that history went with them, present in every kiss and every word. And now, seeing it all going to the drain, Amelia felt heartbroken.

Owen took a deep breath, trying to decide whether or not he should comment on that. He was about to leave when his impulsiveness made him turn around and stride to where she was standing, deliciously staring at him only in her bra and panties.

"If you knew how much it _bothers_ me," He grabbed her arm with force, talking between his teeth "you wouldn't dare ask me that question!" He angrily whispered, the sparkle of desire evident in his eyes "You have to stop because when you do _this_ " He looked at her nudeness "When you look like _this_ , I can't stop wondering if you are as delightful as I think you are… And all I can think about is taking you upstairs, locking the door to our room and doing things to you that are too inappropriate to speak of!"

Amelia looked back at him with the same fire in her eyes. She wanted to be mad, and angry and frustrated. But all she could feel was passion.

Owen noticed her hesitation and his hands went to her neck, just below her jaw. His fingers traced the way up to her head, digging through her mass of dark curls while he closed his eyes, dangerously moving his lips to her cheek.

"I can't do this, Amelia," He whispered in her ear, obviously struggling with his feelings. Owen touched the side of her face with his, as his hands involved her waist. She felt so small against him… They were a perfect fit and having her so close to him felt nothing but right. "But I can't do this to you," He confessed, sure he would hurt her if they took that step in the relationship they were trying to rebuild and that was yet too fragile. "I want you so bad," He stated the obvious "But you deserve better than this. Than me not remembering who you were."

Amelia stood still, involved by his presence and his warmth. Her eyes searched for his, and in them she saw the truth. He meant every word he'd said and she was overwhelmed with love when she realized that even though they hadn't talked about it, they both felt the same way.

"It's okay," She took one step back and held his face between her hands rubbing her thumbs on his cheeks, secretly wishing she could somehow ease his pain "This is just a bad phase. We're going to get through this as we have gotten through so many bad moments before. Together."

"I don't know how to be the guy you need me to be," Owen confessed, visibly distressed. "I want to be the guy you can trust and rely on, but there's too much I don't know and the thought of letting you," and then he pointed to the living room, where their children were "or them down kills me. I realize I'm being too stiff and holding back too much but that's only because I don't want to do or say anything that might hurt any of you." He confessed, burying his face in the crook of her neck, clearly in need of comforting. Amelia wrapped both arms around him, grateful that he was allowing himself to be vulnerable with the person he yet didn't know was the one he trusted the most.

"You don't have to hold back, babe…" She whispered in his ear, on purpose using the endearment term she often use to call him when they were having their normal lives together "Don't think too much, just feel... You know how to do this, you've done this naturally before and you can learn everything once again. You'll know us and once you get used to us, you'll realize that it's okay to be yourself. Because I will love you," She took a step back to look him in the eyes, seeing how red and swollen they were "No matter what."

Owen didn't know what to say. He wasn't used to breaking down like that, and never in his life had he felt more vulnerable. She was making him feel safe, loved and comfortable despite all his insecurities and doubts and now, after only days of being together, it already made absolutely sense to him that he had fallen in love with her.

"I still can't believe this," He confessed, still unsure of what to say "Any of this. I woke up to the life I've always wanted," He added, making her smile broadly "I don't want to lose you or the kids."

"You won't," Amelia cheerfully held his hand. She was being so strong that it inspired him. Swiftly, Amelia pulled one large grey T-shirt from the clean laundry basket and put it on. It wasn't only until she was dressed that Owen realized the shirt was his. The intimacy of that action touched him deeply. "See, I am even putting on clothes," She joked "We'll make it through, because we are Owen and Amelia. We always do."

The security with which she said those words made Owen feel completely sure that they actually would. He smiled back at her and the smell coming from the kitchen caught his attention, making him go back to finish their meal.

They had dinner with the kids and when everyone was done eating, Owen sat down on the living floor mat with his usual eager to spend more time with his sons and baby girl. He was distractedly playing memory cards with the twins when Lucas came from behind him, dragging a large wooden guitar.

"Dad, can you play for us?"

Owen looked at him with surprise, unsure of what to do next. He knew he once could play the guitar, but in his head there had been ages since he had last touched one. He looked around for help from Amelia, but she was in the kitchen, finishing washing the dishes.

"Can you play the Jurassic Park song, dad?" Thomas interrupted them, stealing Lucas' spot right in front of his dad.

Owen noticed his son sitting with his legs folded, obviously excited by his brother's idea and then panicked. He didn't know he could play the Jurassic Park theme song. He didn't know he could play any songs his children might like or be used to. He felt his heart racing at the idea of the kids figuring out what was happening. The thought of them feeling like their dad didn't care for them enough to remember them drove Owen insane with worry and fear.

He was on the edge of freaking out when he remembered the words Amelia had just said to him. He couldn't think too much. He had to just let go. And that's exactly what Owen did.

Picking up the guitar, he rested his back against the couch and started to play the first chords that came to his mind. He tried not to think about it, but rather just do it. Twenty seconds into the song the twins had already circled around them and Megan came crawling in their direction.

"I know this one!" Lucas' eyes sparkled with pride "It's the Jungle Book song, dad."

Owen tried to learn that information, labeling that song in his head. The kids laughed and sang along, often improvising the lyrics and teasing each other when they made mistakes. Owen heartily laughed when he noticed Megan's giggles of excitement as she watched her four brothers.

Amelia was attracted to the living room by the sound of excited laughs and music. She couldn't help grinning when she noticed the scene playing out in front of them. Thomas was placing a cowboy hat on his dad's head while Lucas tried to help Megan stand up, holding her hands so she could keep her balance. Robbie and Danny were visibly excited, watching their dad play the guitar with a mesmerized look on their faces.

"Momma," Danny came running to her direction "Come play too." He grabbed her hand making her crouch down on the playing mat.

Amelia started to sing along and Owen noticed with a smile that she had a lovely musical voice, very appropriate to sing children's music. She exchanged looks with him and he could see in her eyes the shadow of pride and support. Owen kept on playing the guitar for another thirty minutes, before the kids finally started to show signs of tiredness and they took them upstairs for their bedtime routine.

That night, he tucked in Thomas and Lucas after Megan was already dozed off in her room. Later he went on to the twins' room, seeing Danny was already asleep but Robbie was up in Amelia's arms, resting his head on Amelia's shoulder while she soothed him with caresses on his back.

"Is everything okay?" He whispered in the dark, approaching his wife and son. He noticed Robbie's bright blue eyes were still wide open. Owen leaned in and kissed the boy on the head.

"Yup, someone is just fighting their sleep," Amelia explained in the same whispering tone, smiling at Owen, but then she added in his ear, so their son couldn't hear them "But truth is he is just afraid of the storm."

Owen had heard some distant thundering coming from outside but it wasn't abnormal where they lived. He brought his attention back to her, studying his wife closely.

He thought she had never looked more beautiful, comforting his son in her arms. She was a very affectionate and sensible mother and it wasn't the first time Owen had noticed it. She genuinely loved to take care of their children and seeing her being so maternal filled his heart with love and pride. Amelia was everything he had ever dreamt in a woman and she kept on repeatedly proving it.

"Close your eyes, buddy," Owen instructed his son, running his fingers through his hair. He had unintentionally wrapped Amelia inside his embrace too but she didn't seem to mind. "Mom and I will be here until you fall asleep."

Owen's words had the comforting effect he expected, because Robbie yawned and then couldn't keep his eyes open anymore. Owen had already stepped back when Amelia placed the little boy on his bed, gently pulling the covers to keep him warm.

"What happened?"He asked with curiosity. He had never seen the kids taking more than a few minutes to fall asleep.

"Sometimes, despite the comfort of a mom," Amelia explained "all you really need is the security of a dad." She said, never failing to remind Owen of the important role he played in his children's lives. He noticed it with a smile and thought back about the time she'd told him she'd grown up without a dad during most of her life. There was so much about Amelia he didn't know yet… But he couldn't wait to find out.

"He doesn't want to fall asleep, but in the morning it's a struggle to wake him up," She stated with a smile, leading the way to the corridor.

"You know just what to say to calm everyone down," Owen commented, and in her smile he knew she realized he meant more than Robbie.

They went downstairs and instead of talking for hours, like it had happened for the past few days, Amelia suggested they watched something on TV. The day had been too intense already and Owen had had too much information to process for the time being.

He sat down on the couch in front of the TV and watched as Amelia lay on the corner couch, opposite to him. She started Netflix and put on a show that according to her, he liked very much, but Owen wasn't sure what caught more of his attention, the cop series or watching her.

He noticed not for the first time that Amelia had a hard time keeping still. She was always wiggling a toe, or moving her fingers or humming distractedly while completing a chore. Owen watched her playing with a lock of hair between her fingers while keeping her eyes on the show.

"When you decide to stop staring at me, I'll rewind the show to the important part you've just missed," Amelia stretched her neck to look at him, her teasing evident in her eyes.

"You are far more interesting," He said objectively.

Amelia hit the pause button and sat up, so she could look more attentively at him.

"This show has an army storyline. You love the Army." She stated matter-of-factly.

"I do," Owen replied. "But even now, it feels like it is way in my past."

"Not so much," Amelia remembered him "You re enlisted soon after your last memory."

Owen looked at her quizzically and Amelia proceeded to explain how after Derek's death everyone had been immersed in exponential grief and how the two of them and each of their friends had coped with the situation with a different reaction. In order to avoid drugs and alcohol, she had drowned in work. And Owen had gone off to Iraq, reenlisting with April Kepner. A couple of days before, she had told him about her problem with addiction, how he'd come to find out about it and the son she'd long ago lost. Owen had listened carefully but he hadn't judged her and for that Amelia was grateful because she feared he would have reservations about her once he knew.

"I can't believe I left you," Owen frowned, visibly disappointed. "How did I just leave you? I can't believe I acted like a complete ass and…"

"You didn't leave me," Amelia couldn't help a muffled laughter when she realize how worked up he was about himself "We weren't together anymore back then. Remember how I told you we had an off and on thing going for nearly two years?"

"It doesn't matter," Owen affirmed, angry at himself "I'm sure that knowing about your problem and how vulnerable you'd be at the loss of your brother. I should have never left you."

"You're thinking as if we already had what we have today, Owen. We didn't. We were only getting to know each other then and none of us had let our walls down yet."

"So?" He repeated his usual sentence. "I'm sure it didn't take long for me to fall in love with you then." He was visibly worked up about his behavior "It didn't take me long to fall in love with you now, so it doesn't make any sense that it would back then." He commented, too caught up in his own frustration to realize the change on Amelia's expression.

"What did you say?" Amelia asked, taken aback by his confession.

Owen looked up from his hands to her eyes, lost and confused.

"Huh?"

"You said you fell in love with me," She repeated his words.

"That is no secret, Amelia." He frowned, like that was obvious. "It didn't take me a week to figure out you're the best person I've ever known," That was Amelia's undoing. "I still can't believe I left you, though… How much of a dick do I have to be to…?" Amelia could hear him ranting at himself from a distance, but she wasn't paying any attention anymore. Owen's words might not have been a big deal to him but they certainly were to her.

Owen was too distracted with his self loathing when he felt Amelia's shadow blocking his view. Surprised, he looked up at her at the same time she placed both hands on his shoulders, using her knees to support her weight on the couch, while straddling him.

He felt the gentle weight of her body as she sat on his lap and wrapped her arms around him, delicately shutting him up with a kiss. It was totally unexpected, but absolutely welcomed. Owen's hands instantly traveled to her waist, closing tightly around her as he leaned back on the couch bringing her with him. He could feel her breasts being crushed against his chest as she let her own body weigh on his, while she explored his lips gently and at ease.

When they finally pulled apart, Owen noticed how dark her usually bright eyes were.

"You are the best person _I know_ ," She repeated his words, caressing the blonde locks on the back of his neck "And you're the love of my life." She kissed his cheek, wrapping her arms fiercely around his neck, pulling his face toward her chest and neck.

Amelia had noticed earlier that day the way he had played with his children. Owen didn't shy away when faced with a difficult circumstance. When he had woken up to that traumatic situation, he could have turned his back on them, because he ultimately didn't have any memory of his wife and kids. It would be much easier to ignore their existence and move somewhere else. Amelia was sure that would be the obvious choice to a lot of people if facing that same situation.

But not to Owen. He was honorable and caring and completely invested in their family. When she saw him sitting on the floor, eagerly playing with their children, devoted to getting to know them, she realized she didn't expect anything else from him and yet his amazing behavior towards their family still had an overwhelming effect on her heart.

"Babe, don't tempt me, please…" Owen begged, not realizing that for the first time he hadn't called her by her name.

Amelia pulled apart and silently took off her shirt, throwing it aside. She then unhooked her bra, exposing herself to him without reservations.

Owen's eyes sparkled with desire when his eyes fell on her breasts and slim shoulders. She kissed his neck, very suggestively, while skillfully unbuttoning his shirt.

"Woman, you're killing me," Owen closed his eyes and took a deep breath when he felt her hands dangerously close to the middle of his thighs.

"Don't die now," She playfully whispered in his ears "I need you very alive for this," She smiled, getting up from his lap, allowing Owen to lose his shirt too. "Come on, let's go upstairs."

Owen followed her to their room and she closed the door after them. He involved her waist with his arms, gently lifting her before placing Amelia on their large bed. Owen pulled down his pants before covering her body with his, tracing long and slow lines of kisses on her jaw, neck and breasts.

"How was I ever lucky enough to find you?" He lifted his head and smiled at her, placing one lock of her hair behind her ear. He then held her face with his large manly hand, caressing her smooth cheek with his thumb.

"I found you," She teased him.

"Every night I lay here next to you wondering how good you were at this," He confessed with a playful voice. "We have barely begun, and you've already exceeded my expectations," Owen let her know. "And they were very high."

Amelia let out a heartily laugh and held him, feeling Owen being closer to his usual self than he had been in those past few days.

"You sure you wanna do this?" He asked before he wasn't able to hold back anymore.

"I can't leave you wondering how good I am," She smiled at him, pulling him in for a kiss "It would be too cruel." She joked.

"It would," Owen agreed as he watched her turn around to be on top of him. Amelia kissed him like an expert, because she seemed to know absolutely everything that turned him on. She did things to him that even Owen didn't know he liked or existed until she did them.

"You do know me better than I know myself," He noticed, loving how she was running her hand up and down on the inner part of his thighs while kissing him on the abdomen. "Come here, you little witch."

Owen pulled her up, easily holding her on his top. Her cascade of dark hair fell on his chest as he did so, and he gently dug his fingers through her locks, exposing her face for his eager kiss. Amelia noticed he had called her something he usually did when they were bantering, but she thought it had probably been spontaneous.

Soon after, she lost all trail of thinking when he gently removed her last piece of clothing, squeezing her butt cheeks with his bare hands to press her harder against his body. Amelia moaned with pleasure when he drove himself inside her, moving his hips with sensual experience.

She kissed him with abandon, using her tongue to seduce him. As Owen found out how great it felt when they were together, Amelia remembered the taste of it, feeling them reach climax together.

"So?" She asked when they were both exhausted lying on their backs, staring at the ceiling. She rolled over to her side, propping her head on her elbow to get a clear view of his face. "Was it as good as you thought it would be?"

"Even better," Owen replied with honesty, leaning over to give her a kiss on the tip of her nose. They heard a loud thunder roaring outside, as the rain started to heavily pour down. But it didn't matter, because none of them had ever felt safer.

Amelia got up to put her clothes back on, instructing him to do the same to prevent any accidents with the kids. She told him about one morning when Thomas had walked in on her naked right after they'd had sex and Owen laughed while she shared how they had to struggle to distract him from the scene.

She was just finishing putting on a top when she noticed him by the window, only in pajama pants, comfortably studying their front yard while the rain poured down. She walked up to him, wrapping her arms around his back from behind, resting her head against his torso. Owen's skin was warm and smooth as usual, and she couldn't get enough of his touch.

"It looks like the sky is falling," Owen commented, lifting one arm and wrapping it around her shoulders, bringing her to his front. Amelia stood there looking through the glass, feeling him touch his chest to her back, involving her closely in his embrace "It feels like our wedding day all over again."

Amelia's eyes were wide with shock, but he didn't seem to notice, because when she turned around to face him, obviously startled, he just stared at her in utter confusion.

"What?" He asked, absolutely oblivious to her surprise.

"Owen," Amelia said, trying to control her racing pulse "I never told you about our wedding day." She stated, very seriously.

He looked at her, still not quite getting it.

"Babe," Amelia said, a smile forming on the corner of her lips "That means you remembered it. By yourself."

Owen's eyes were wide with shock and then with positive surprise. He had been bombarded with loads of information during the past days and sometimes he found it hard to separate the memories of what he had been told from what he actually remembered. Sometimes Amelia's description of people, events and places were so accurate that he could vividly see what she talked about in his mind, as if the memories were his own. And sometimes, over the course of days, it had become increasingly hard to separate what was genuinely his and what she'd told him.

"Really?" He asked, amazed and excited by the news.

"Babe, you know what that means, right?" Amelia stood on the tips of her toes, happily kissing him "You have a memory!"

Owen was contaminated by her happiness and couldn't stop smiling back at her.

"I know it's just one, and it's small, but it's a start." She cheered "Maybe this wasn't the first time that this happened," She realized, thinking back on how he had playfully called her 'witch', something he used to do when she teased him..

"Yeah, could be," Owen joined her excitement "It's not the first time I wonder when I think of something if I know it because I remember it or because you told me."

"Owen, do you realize how great this is?" She asked, tearing up.

He couldn't reply. So he settled for hugging her and holding her tight instead, showing how happy he felt as well.

.

During the course of the next few days, Owen slowly regained more memories. Amelia was so intrigued by what had happened that the neurosurgeon in her had to find some answers. She exhaustively tested him again, going back and forth in every image, until finally, after almost giving up, she took him to the University test lab to get a Tesla 7 MRI scan.

The image showed a small, almost imperceptible bleeding on his left temporal lobe, on the exact topography where he had been hit by the pickle jar. Amelia's theory was that the bleeding had been too small to be caught on a regular scan, but important enough to compromise his memory center.

And then slowly, as days progressed and the hemorrhage had been reabsorbed, he slowly regained function of those neurons. It was a crazy notion, but the only one that made sense, and with the scan in her hand Amelia finally settled for an answer.

By the end of three weeks, Owen had fully regained his memory. He remembered pretty much everything they had been through and slowly their life went back to normal.

"Should I clear you to go back to work?" Amelia asked him, her eyes sparkling with happiness.

Owen was sitting on a patient bed inside the surgery department, getting a full neuro checkup. He had been on a leave of absence for the past four weeks and couldn't wait to go back to work.

"Yes, ma'am," Owen replied with forced formality, making her laugh.

Amelia chuckled with joy, standing in front of him with a flashlight pen. She unceremoniously touched his face, checking his eyes distractedly when she felt his hands running through her thighs to the inside of her white coat, grabbing her butt with intimacy.

"Owen," She reprimanded him but didn't make an effort to take his hands off her "We're at work. Stop being inappropriate."

"Ok," He replied automatically, but didn't move his hands. She was putting the flashlight pen back in her pocket when he pulled her closer, making her stand between his legs.

"If you keep behaving like this," She playfully threatened him "I'll write on the chart that your frontal lobe has been severely damaged by your concussion and won't clear you for work yet."

"Yes, talk dirty to me," Owen joked back, ready to steal a kiss but Amelia turned her head on the exact moment, making him miss her lips "I love it when you go neuro nerd on me."

Amelia giggled and tried to push him back, but he didn't let her go, nipping the side of her neck when she tried to get rid of him.

"Say some more, come on," He teased. As Owen got up from the gurney, his physical advantage played in his favor, and he walked taking her in his arms into one corner of the room.

"I don't know if you're being serious or if you're openly making fun of me" Amelia confessed when he didn't stop his kissing advances.

"Both," Owen replied, before finally capturing her lips.

"I won't clear you for surgery," She reinforced, pretending to be offended by his teasing.

"If you don't, I won't cook anymore and you'll just end up food poisoning our children."

"Don't threaten me, Owen Hunt." Amelia demanded, splaying her hands on his chest to pull him back.

Owen laughed at her predicament and tightened his embrace around her waist, seeing the heavy frown on her face.

"Clear me for surgery, babe," He softly asked, loving to tease her. "I'll go crazy if you keep me home."

"Maybe I should keep you home," Amelia took control of the situation "You can cook and clean while I continue to kick ass in the OR being a big neuro nerd, how about that?"

"Oh, but I love cooking and cleaning for you," Owen tilted his head seductively and his blatant lie broke all of Amelia's defenses, making her laugh at how silly he was being.

"Here," She signed his discharge papers, "You're loose in the world now. Ready to resume your butchering back in the ER."

"Thank you, babe." Owen smiled and kissed her cheek. "Can I buy you lunch to return the favor?"

"That's the least you can do," Amelia grumpily replied, making Owen laugh.

He wrapped one arm around her shoulders and happily walked her through the corridors of the hospital into the cafeteria. Owen had had a lot of free time in the past weeks to put his head back in its place and ponder about everything that had happened in the course of the past four weeks.

On a rando typical evening with his family he had suffered a trauma to the head that had evolved with massive consequences. During the course of an entire week, he had suffered from severe amnesia, forgetting everything about his family, to the verge of freaking out and panicking several times.

But his amazing wife had always kept it together, being the glue that kept all of them whole. Owen vividly remembered waking up to a nightmare that ultimately had turned into a dream and now more than ever, after going through that stressful and traumatizing situation, he was sure that his wife and children were really everything he ever wanted and needed to be truly happy.

"Why do you have that silly smile on your face?" Amelia frowned, obviously still angry at him.

"Because I love you," Owen said, watching her steal one of his fries.

Amelia looked up at him, expecting another round of teasing but instead she found the heartwarming look of comfort in his eyes.

"I drove you crazy, didn't I?" Owen laughed, thinking about how hard the whole situation probably had been on her.

"You drive me crazy every day," Amelia bitterly said, making Owen laugh. She finally gave in to him, feeling just as happy that he was completely back to his normal self now.

"Yeah, I love you too," Owen intertwined their fingers and brought her hand closer, kissing her knuckles before letting it go to pick up his knife and fork.

"You were lucky I didn't have to cut into your brain," She teased him.

"Babe, I let someone cut into my junk when you convinced me to get a vasectomy," Owen said. "After that, getting my brain cut would have been a piece of cake."

"Men." Amelia sighed, taking a bite of her food.

"Now that I think about it, maybe it was better when I had amnesia," Owen joked, "At least I didn't have to relive that procedure in my head like I did just now."

"Don't worry, I'll still create many more painful memories for you to regret," Amelia smiled like an angel, but Owen saw the devilish look in her eyes.

"You are unbelievable," He said, playfully nodding in disapproval.

"Yeah, but you stick with me, so suck it up." She replaced her teasing smile for a genuine one.

"You're damn right about that, babe," Owen kissed her head, smiling adoringly at her. "If there is one thing this whole experience proved to me it's that. We are awesome together. And I wouldn't trade what we have for anything in the world."

Amelia smiled back at him and in her eyes Owen knew she felt the same. They didn't need anything else. They had each other, their incredible children and the amazing life they had created together. He loved how they could easily go from fully teasing each other, to being supportive, caring and completely devoted to their marriage. That was irreplaceable, invaluable and completely overwhelming.

And it was something Owen knew he would never again forget.


	9. Leave it to Dad

**My Boys Drabbles – Leave it to Dad**

"Dad!"

Owen heard the word for the twentieth time in less than an hour and couldn't help the feeling of impatience that was starting to consume him.

"Yes, Tom?"

"Dad, Danny is angry that he lost to me so many times so he hid all the Wii remotes. I want to play but he won't give them to me or tell me where they are," Thomas complained, visibly distressed.

Owen let out a heavy sigh.

"Daniel!" He yelled, through the hole of the stairs "Come here right now."

Owen ran his fingers through his hair, taking a deep breath to prepare for the next round. His children were especially difficult that day, arguing and constantly bickering at each other, so he still hadn't had a moment of peace that morning. It was Saturday and as summer approached, the days started to get increasingly warmer. Amelia had left early that day for a shift, leaving him alone at home with their five pestering brats.

Owen had taken them outside so they could burn all their energy in the backyard, but since it had started to rain, he'd had to bring them back inside. The surgeon was about to resume preparing their lunch when he heard Megan's loud cry, announcing she'd just waken up and was hungry.

During the afternoon, Owen had to keep the kids indoors, for his own dismay. He had just finished putting the dishes on the washer when he heard a loud noise coming from the living room. Holding Megan in his arms, he rushed there, only to find the TV crashed over the coffee table and Lucas holding a soccer ball, the look of guilt evident on his face.

Owen couldn't believe his eyes. His first reaction was to yell at his sons, but he took a deep breath to prevent things from getting even worse. Lucas could have gotten hurt by the impact of the TV falling from the wall to the ground, or it could have easily hit one of his brothers. The boy had been warned multiple times before and he should have known better by now. Owen wondered how Lucas was able to perform those seemingly impossible tasks, such as unhooking the TV from the wall with one ball shot.

"Is this serious, Lucas? Were you really playing ball inside?" Owen asked the obvious. His voice was dangerously low, and the boy didn't fail to notice it.

"I'm sorry, dad." Lucas took one step back, already well aware his apologies wouldn't help his case at all. His dad rarely got that angry, but when he did, the boy knew he was in serious trouble. "I was just making a pass to Robbie, I didn't mean to kick it this hard. But it went up and up and…"

"Lucas," Owen interrupted him, trying his best not to outburst "How many times have I told you _not_ to play ball inside the house?" His voice got a little louder as Owen fought not to lose his only remaining bit of patience. He couldn't let Lucas get away with that too easily, for he firmly believed his children must respect and be grateful for all the things their parents were able to provide them. But at that moment, Owen couldn't be rational, so he thought it was better to postpone the lecture until he was in a better state of mind. He should have known that having his energy driven boys stuck inside the house all afternoon would surely result in a catastrophe. "Go to your room, right now. You're grounded."

"Until when, dad?" Lucas looked visibly defeated, dragging his feet to the stairs.

"Until I say otherwise!" Owen nearly yelled, unmistakably angry.

At his change of voice, Megan was startled and started to cry. Thomas and the twins quickly made themselves busy, trying to stay out of trouble, knowing their dad wasn't in a very good mood.

Finally, when all five children were finally tucked in for the night and Owen thought things would calm down, he found out one of the attendings who was supposed to be on call that evening had called in sick, meaning he would have to go cover the guy's shift, even though he was exhausted and drained from the long day he'd had.

Owen walked into the kitchen, hoping Amelia would come back home in time to be with the kids, only to find an imminent flood beneath the sink. He sighed in exasperation. The water was everywhere, making a giant mess on the floor. There was really no way that day could get any worse. Putting the nanny cam on the counter, he started to work to figure out what was wrong with the plumbing.

When Amelia made it home that evening, she walked into the kitchen to find her husband shirtless and barefoot lying on his back under the kitchen sink. She frowned, wondering what in the world was going on, but he was so focused on the task he didn't hear when she placed her keys on the kitchen counter.

Noticing through the camera screen their baby girl was peacefully sleeping, Amelia bent over, trying to figure out what was happening. But the more she saw, the more she liked.

Owen's half naked body was wet and flushed from the physical effort. Amelia took her time studying him, noticing the droplets of sweat that ran from his neck to his chest as he skillfully moved his hands on top of his head, apparently going over the plumbing underneath the sink. She involuntarily bit her lower lip, feeling her blood rushing to her most intimate parts as she watched her husband doing something as mundane as fixing a pipe.

Amelia didn't know why, but she found the scene in front of her a big turn on. Owen looked so manly and so sexy doing handwork that she couldn't help staring. As he moved while repairing the pipe, she could easily spot the outline of the muscles in his arms, shoulders, and abs. Her eyes studied those eagerly, making its way to his hands. God, she loved his hands. They were large, masculine and she knew they could perform wonders.

And not just in the OR.

Amelia was lost in her own fantasies when Owen slid from beneath the sink.

"I didn't see you there," He stated, obviously in a bad mood. Owen didn't seem to notice the look of desire in her eyes because he barely paid any attention to her "I gotta run, I have to go to the hospital," He explained as he got up "Can you believe this?" Owen held out one hand, showing her two mini figures of Super Mario and a green dinosaur that had been thrown into the sink which clogged the plumbing "I spent nearly one hour to get this thing off, the boys were absolutely insufferable today, I was this close to locking them in a cage…" He ranted, going to the trash can to throw out the damaged toys. "What?" He bluntly asked, noticing his wife's silence and the estranged look on her face.

"I'm sorry, did you say you have to go back to the hospital?" Amelia swallowed hard, examining the muscles on his back as he finished collecting the tools he'd used. That was the worst news she'd gotten that day, because she had spent the last ten minutes planning on just how she would take advantage of her husband during the whole evening.

"Yeah, that asshole Johnson called in sick again, I'm gonna have to get rid of him," Owen said, clearly irritated. Firing someone and going hunting for a new employee was always stressful. Amelia had heard before about the attending who was always trying to bend the rules to escape the mandatory weekend shifts "I just wanted a quiet night to relax and now this…" Owen complained, finishing cleaning up the mess in the kitchen.

Amelia followed him upstairs, noticing he was so angry and impatient he had barely paid any attention to her or asked how her day had been, which was very unlike him.

"Baby, why are you so mad?" Amelia asked, trying to hide her amusement. It was rare to see Owen so angry and impatient; in the few times she'd seen him in such a bad mood it had usually been because of her. So this was an entirely new situation.

"Can you believe Lucas kicked a soccer ball at the TV today?" Owen asked, taking a deep breath to calm down. "They spent the entire day arguing or fighting each other," He shared. "Even Megan was a brat today, she would cry for no apparent reason in the worst moments," Owen started to unbutton his jeans, delighting Amelia with the sight of his muscular thighs "I'd never thought I'd say this but I swear to God if I hear the word 'dad' one more time today, I might kill someone."

Amelia was about to follow him to the shower and calm him down in the way only she was allowed to do when she heard muffled cries coming from Megan's room. Experimenting a bit of the frustration Owen had gone through during the day, she blew a lock of hair from her face and made her way to her infant's room, comforting and soothing the baby until Megan fell back asleep.

When she made it back to the master suite, Amelia was greeted by a vision that turned her on even more, if that was possible. Owen was sitting on the edge of their bed, a white towel wrapped around his waist while he struggled to put on his wrist watch.

"Is she ok?" He looked up to her and for the first time that evening looked into Amelia's eyes.

"Yeah, she went back to sleep," Amelia smiled tenderly at him, and when Owen's attention went back to his watch, she climbed on the bed, slowly making her way behind his back.

Owen was distractedly finishing tying the watch on his wrist when he felt a pair of small, warm hands splayed on his chest, slowly sliding down to his stomach.

"Amelia…" He moaned in protest. He was already very late and had no time for anything.

"I want you," She mercilessly said, nipping his earlobe before seductively whispering in his ear "I want you to stay home and do everything you want to do to me, _daddy_."

Owen felt her teeth and lips sucking the skin of his neck as her hands swiftly slid from his abs to the inside of his thighs, mercilessly involving him over the towel. He closed his eyes and leaned his head back, feeling her wet kisses on his neck give him a rush of pleasure through his veins.

"Stay…" She whispered, nearly killing him with desire. Her hand kept her grasp, erotically stimulating him "Stay and I promise you won't regret," She grabbed his chin and turned his head, forcing Owen to look directly at her.

He noticed her wonderful face. Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes were sparkling while she dared him to let go. Amelia was the perfect image of temptation and Owen hated to do what he had to do.

"I have to go, Amelia, don't do this," He roughly replied, taking her hand from his body and standing up. She knew he had an obligation with work and yet she tried to seduce him, knowing how much more difficult she was making it for him to leave when he already didn't want to go. "Stop this," He asked, feeling her stubborn hands involving his neck "Amelia, you're making it harder for me to go."

"I wanna make it _harder_ ," She suggestively looked at him, standing up on the bed so she could be taller than him. Owen didn't have time to breathe when she pulled him closer, wrapping both her legs around his waist, forcing him to close his arms around her. Her lips sensually rubbed on his and when Owen couldn't help but opening his mouth, he felt her biting his lower lip, being assaulted by a painful wave of desire.

"Woman, stop it, you're killing me," Owen said, angrier and frustrated. At that very moment, he hated how his body involuntarily responded to her touch and how she was behaving erratically, no better than his five children had earlier that day.

"You're talking too much," She complained, forcing him to lie on the bed on top of her.

Amelia kissed him with passion, crushing his lips with hers, purposefully pressing her body against his. She wanted him and wouldn't take no for an answer, especially when his frustration was turning her on even more.

Owen felt the erotic invasion of her tongue in his mouth and kissed her back with explosive desire, running his hands through her entire body until he finally grabbed her wrists and immobilized them over her head, on the mattress.

"Stop," He said in a tone of voice that admitted no denials. "I have to go to work now and you're driving me crazy. If you don't stop right now we're going to have a serious fight, Amelia." He said and by the look on his face she believed him.

Amelia let go, seeing him walk away to the closet, frustrated and furious. She hated it when Owen was being too serious, even though she knew at that moment he had to be because of their job. A couple of minutes later, she saw him come out of the room fully dressed, look at her still angry and leave their bedroom, closing the door after him.

She silently cursed him for leaving her without even saying goodbye. Owen never left without at least giving her a kiss on the head. She could tell he was really mad this time. But Amelia didn't even feel sorry, because as of this moment, she was immensely angry at him too.

.

When Owen made it home later that night, he found the house in a much more peaceful state than he'd left it, which was to be expected, considering it wasn't yet 6 am.

He slowly made his way to the master bedroom in the darkness, trying not to make any noise. Owen had just changed from his work clothes to his pajama pants when he noticed Amelia on the bed. A loving smile formed on his lips as he carefully examined her adorable figure.

He knew Amelia hated to sleep alone. She would always hold his arm or curl up next to him whenever they were in bed together. But since he wasn't there, she had held onto a pillow, embracing it close to her body as she peacefully rested looking even smaller on the large bed.

Owen had spent a large portion of his night shift with her in his mind. He hated to scream at her. Even though she'd deserved every word for her behavior earlier, he still felt bad about it. After all, all of her kisses and caresses were always welcomed and Owen didn't want her to think otherwise.

Climbing up on his side of the bed, Owen leaned over her, feeling the amazing smell of vanilla that was so familiar. Slowly, he brushed his lips on the softness of her cheeks, feeling its delicious warmth. He nudged her neck with his nose, watching her slowly wake up at his presence.

"Hm," Amelia regained her conscience, "What happened?" Her voice was husky and she was clearly confused.

"Nothing happened," Owen explained, kissing her head "I've just arrived home."

"You scared me," Amelia turned around to lie or her back, feeling Owen's arm involving her waist. His hand slid on her skin beneath her top, in his usual possessive manner. She was almost asleep again when she felt his lips softly covering hers, in a kiss that was much more gentle than hungry.

"How are you?" Owen asked when he pulled apart. "Did you get some rest?"

"I was trying to," Amelia replied sourly. "I don't want to talk to you." She added with her usual practicality.

Owen chuckled, knowing very well where she was coming from. He was absolutely expecting her to be mad at him for the way he had rejected her earlier.

"Fine, don't talk to me," Owen replied, but he wasn't angry at her. "But you know you were out of line and I had every reason to be mad at you."

"I was not." Amelia closed her eyes and turned her back to him.

Owen smiled and kissed the back of her neck. She obviously knew he was right but didn't want to admit it.

"Fine, then." He pulled the covers on himself and without thinking twice, embraced her again, holding her close like nothing out of ordinary had happened. He had just settled for closing his eyes and trying to get some sleep when he heard her.

"I didn't mean to make you late for work."

Owen opened his eyes, finding the back of her head still turned to him. He waited, knowing there was probably more to come, but she didn't say anything else.

"And?"

"Don't push it," Amelia grumpily replied.

Owen laughed contagiously, leaning over her to kiss her cheek at the exact moment Amelia rolled over to his side. His hands caressed the sides of her face while his eyes studied her delicate features.

"How was your shift?" She asked, still upset.

"Busy, but still easier than my day," Owen replied honestly.

"You didn't even ask me how my day was yesterday," Amelia complained, rubbing her eyes. "You barely even looked at me when I got home."

Owen looked at her with admiration and regret.

"I'm sorry, babe." He locked lips with her. "I was so angry and impatient, but it had nothing to do with you. Well, not at first, at least." He teased, touching his forehead to hers. "It's very hard for me to say no to you, you know?"

Owen meant it. He kissed her slowly, enjoying every bit of it. Amelia's hands wrapped his neck as his own traveled to the hem of her shorts, undressing her. He got rid of his own clothes too and when their bodies were naked under the covers, Owen involved one of her breasts with his hand, gently caressing it while his mouth was devoted to the other one.

As he kissed her, his hand met with hers and he slowly took it to the inside of his thighs, simulating the same movement Amelia had done to him earlier that evening.

"I should leave you hanging out to dry," She smiled against his lips, but her hand didn't let go of him.

"You're talking too much," Owen repeated her words, stealing a kiss.

His heart raced with anticipation when Amelia pushed him to lie on his back, giving him her best dirty smile before disappearing under the covers. Seconds later, he felt the warmth of her mouth involving him, making Owen hold onto a pillow when his eyes closed with satisfaction.

"Amelia…" Owen moaned with pleasure when she used her tongue to drive him crazy.

When he thought he was about to explode in an amazing orgasm, she abruptly stopped and made her way back to his arms, straddling his hips at the same time her body joined his, on that perfect fit they both loved so much.

"You're not mad anymore, are you?" Amelia leaned over, caressing his rough cheek with one hand while looking at him in the eyes mischievously.

"I definitely wouldn't describe this as mad," Owen rolled her over on the bed, lying on her top before his hips started to thrust against hers. He watched with delight the expression of pleasure on her face as he led them both to climax. "Now you can say it, babe." He teased, after they both were done. "Who's your daddy?"' Owen playfully asked, making Amelia burst out laughing.

"You were looking really hot fixing the sink, I have to admit it." Amelia shared.

"Yeah?" He raised one eyebrow in question, surprised by her revelation.

"This is why I came onto you like that," Amelia confessed, smiling at the memory of him half naked, sweaty and dirty in their kitchen. "I was kinda hoping to plumb your pipe."

"Oh my God," Owen couldn't contain his laughter "Is there anything you can't turn into a dirty joke?"

"Probably not," Amelia replied promptly.

Owen involved her in his arms, feeling more tired than he had been, but also much more relaxed. He dozed off in a matter of seconds, hoping to get some sleep at least for a few hours. But half an hour later, he couldn't help laughing at the irony of the situation when he was suddenly woken up by a loud cry and one of the twins stormed into the room, saying the word he had come to love, hate and then love again in the last twenty four hours. Owen opened his eyes, mentally preparing for the storm that was about to come.

"Daaaad…!"


	10. Boys and Girls

**Hey Guys,**

 **I am updating some drabbles that I had previously posted on tumblr and hadn't uploaded here yet. They are all from prompts I receive in my tumblr and twitter accounts ( both jordan202). Thank you all so much for the feedback you've given so far : ) I hope you enjoy these as I much as I enjoyed writing them.**

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 **My Boys Drabbles - Boys and Girls**

"Momma, what are you doing?" Danny asked, looking very intrigued.

Amelia looked over at her three year old toddler, noticing the evident frown on his forehead. He definitely looked concerned.

"I was changing your sister's diaper," Amelia explained with a smile, while she finished buttoning Megan's onesie.

"Because she can't go potty yet?" Danny's twin brother Robbie asked, paying close attention to what his mother was doing. When Amelia nodded in agreement, he proceeded with his questions "Momma, why is Megan a girl and not a boy?"

Amelia once again took her eyes off her five month old daughter and looked at her sons, seeing how confused they looked.

"I am a boy and Robbie and Tommy and Luke... Why is Megan a girl? Why can't she be a boy too?" Danny questioned.

"Well, did you want her to be a boy?" Amelia wrapped the baby in a fluffy blanket and picked her up, noticing she was almost asleep.

"I don't know," Danny frowned again. He seemed very confused and looked from his brother to his mother for help.

"You see, baby, Megan is a girl the same way mom is a girl… And you guys are boys the same way dad and your brothers are boys."

"But why?"

"Well…" Amelia wondered how she would explain that to two three year olds "For starters, our bodies are different…"

From there on, Amelia tried to simplify as much as she could the difference between the body of a girl and a boy. She tried her best not to stereotype "girl things" and "boy things" in her household, but up until they had Megan, that had never really been an issue, considering there had been only boys in the house.

"Momma, when Megan is a grown up, will she have a boyfriend?" Robbie asked, very seriously.

"Hmm," Amelia wanted to laugh at the question "When she grows up, yes, probably."

"But she can't have one right now, right, mommy?" Danny added, visibly distressed. "She can't have a boyfriend now, right?"

Amelia laughed heartily. Her poor daughter would have an army of big brothers and a very protective dad shielding her from any contact with boys. She just didn't expect to have to worry about that so soon.

Megan was fast asleep by the time Amelia put her on the small crib in the living room for her afternoon nap. She kept an eye on the boys and started dinner while she waited for Owen to come home with their two oldest sons.

.

Owen nervously ran his hand through his hair. He was having one of those days. Nothing seemed to work as planned, incomings were piling up one after the other and he had barely had time for lunch. To make matters worse, he was scheduled for a meeting with a top University of Washington surgeon who was a candidate to take a job in his department.

But, since nothing already bad couldn't get worse, he got a call from his sons' preschool asking if one of the parents could come pick up the twins. The school had had a power shortage and it wouldn't be fixed for at least a few hours, leaving everyone there in the dark. Amelia couldn't go because she was in surgery, having just been back to work earlier that week. And his mother also couldn't make it because she was in the middle of a PT session to recover from her invasive brain surgery.

Owen managed to go pick up the boys and make it back to the hospital in less than half an hour, just five minutes before his meeting to interview the candidate. Dr. Debra Walsh was a world-renowned surgeon, and she was going to be an excellent addition to the Trauma Surgery Team if she accepted Owen's offer.

"Listen to me, guys," Owen sat both Robbie and Danny on the lounge's couch. There was no time to take them to daycare and fill all the paperwork required to drop them off for a few hours. That was a very important meeting and he didn't want to be late "A lady is going to come here to talk to dad and I need you guys to be perfectly quiet like two good soldiers, alright?" At the word 'soldiers' the twins became very excited and nodded effusively in agreement "You can't interrupt or argue with each other or act out in any way, you hear me?" Owen sweetly but firmly told them. "Okay, so here is a pen for each," He handed the boys the objects "And two papers. Go draw your grandma something while dad does some work."

The boys quickly entertained themselves and Owen left them on the couch, by one corner of the room, and subsequently invited Dr Walsh to join him in the same lounge, taking her to a small conference table. Owen talked to the stern woman in her sixties for twenty minutes, listening with interest his colleague told him about her job in the University and how she missed being on the field after nearly ten years of dedication to academics only. The woman was very serious and formal, and Owen kept praying his sons wouldn't do anything embarrassing whilst they were there.

"I think you are just what we need, Dr. Walsh," Owen happily declared, imaging what an addition she would be to residents and interns. The woman seemed very serious and focused, keeping a distinct professional tone throughout the entire interview "If you'd like, let me show you around the ER and we can go upstairs to check our ORs afterwards."

"Dad," One of the twins interrupted Owen just as he got up with the job candidate. "Dad, I have to pee. Can you take me?"

Owen had planned to ask one of the nurses to keep an eye on the twins while he toured with Dr. Walsh but he had been too naïve to think his sons wouldn't make their presence noted. The female surgeon noticed their presence but she didn't say a word to Owen or ask why the Chief of Trauma had two small children inside the attendings' lounge.

"Okay, Rob, let me just…-" He asked Dr. Walsh for a second with his hand and took the boy to the adjoining room.

Danny noticed he had been left with a stranger and the woman let out a discreet cough, visibly uncomfortable to be left alone with a child. As a typical three year old, Danny studied her deeply, staring at her grayish hair and deep glasses.

"My dad has a penis," He shared, looking very proud to know that information "And you have a vagina."

From the bathroom, Owen heard his son and the embarrassment was clear on his face when he came back. The somewhat uptight woman looked from Danny to Owen with complete disbelief, and between him and Dr. Walsh, Owen couldn't tell which one was more shocked.

"I am so sorry," He hurried to say, "These are my sons and they-," Owen hesitated. He had no idea where that was coming from, since he had never heard the twins saying anything like that "I am so sorry, Dr. Walsh. I'll get someone to look after them, they were supposed to be in school but… Anyways, give me just one minute, please."

Owen picked up both boys, one in each arm, and was about to ask where Danny had learned those words when he saw Jo Wilson slowly walking towards the elevator, both hands in her white coat while she distractedly made her way through the crowd.

"Jo!" He said without hesitation "Are you busy right now?"

Jo Wilson and Alex Karev also had a three year old son and Owen trusted her to watch the boys.

"Not really, I have a patient to see in the ICU but…"

"Can you take them?" Owen interrupted her "Can you take these two to their mother upstairs? She's in surgery but I don't think she'll be long."

"Sure," Jo said, looking confused as Owen put down the twins and she held one hand of each.

"Thanks," Owen said, already half way back to the attendings' lounge.

.

Later that evening, Amelia kept busy helping out the boys with homework while Owen prepared dinner. Megan was cheerfully laughing at the twins from her stroller as Lucas and Thomas sat by the big kitchen table, keeping busy with their reading.

"I have to tell you about something that happened today," Owen whispered to Amelia, unwilling to draw attention from the boys.

Amelia took one last peek at the twins and Megan and got up, following her husband to the kitchen island from where she could still keep an eye on all children but stay away from their hearing range.

"What's going on?" She asked in her usual good mood.

Owen noticed she looked tired. That was her first week back at work after staying home with Megan for months. The baby was brought to the hospital daycare every day, so Amelia could still feed her in regular hours but work hasn't exactly been easy on his wife in her return due to the great amount of bureaucratic paperwork that had piled up in her absence.

"I had a meeting with Debra Walsh today," Owen started, and his serious tone didn't go unnoticed.

"Did she turn you down?" Amelia asked, concerned, well aware of who the woman was and her reputation. Owen had been really motivated to hire her ever since he'd heard she was thinking about practicing again.

"Danny," Owen started, still not recovered from the embarrassment "did me the favor to tell her she has a vagina. With those exact words."

Amelia noticed his perplexed expression and couldn't help it. Her loud laughter echoed through the kitchen, drawing attention even from the children. When she was finally able to catch her breath again, she asked:

"What? How did that happen?"

"I don't know, why don't you tell me!" Owen exclaimed, torn between laughter for the unusual hilarious situation and embarrassment for the scene their sons had caused. It was obvious Amelia knew about something because she looked amused but not as surprised as he imagined she'd be.

Amelia recapitulated the events from the previous evening, telling her husband about the moment when the twins had inquired her about the human body and the difference of sexes. Amelia had explained elementary anatomy to them and ever since, they'd been pointing out to everything that was either a 'he' or a 'she', claiming they either had a male or female structure.

"This is hilariously, seriously." Amelia added.

"Hilarious because it wasn't you who had to stand in front of Dr. Walsh after Danny pointed out what kind of genitals we have." Owen was frustrated.

Amelia knew how serious Owen was at work and how professional and together he always seemed. He had been a great chief of surgery once and ever since he'd quit, he'd kept that same level of greatness and professionalism as chief of trauma surgery. To him, it was imperative that his co-workers and employees respected him, exactly like it had always been when he was still in the army.

"Look, babe, I am sorry your interview didn't go so well…Maybe you can try to convince her in some other way?" As she said the words, Amelia rested her open palms on his chest, running them all the way to his shoulders, intimately.

Owen relaxed his tense muscles as he felt her small hands caressing him very suggestively. He looked down at her and smiled, noticing the bad intentions stamped on her face.

"And how would you suggest I'd do that?" He played her game, slowly wrapping his arms around her waist.

"Well," Amelia teasingly said, trying to sound serious but her smile betrayed her "You could always tell Dr. Walsh that aside from knowing human anatomy so well, you're also very good at showing it," She laughed at her own nasty comment.

"Because that's gonna make her respect me…" Owen laughed heartily.

"Well, you have a _really_ good anatomy," Her hands ran from his chest through his back, descending and she mercilessly squeezed his buttcheeks.

"So you're suggesting I show it to Dr. Walsh?" Owen used a dirtier tone of voice, raising one of his eyebrows in question, already leaning over to kiss her.

"No," Amelia laughed when his lips touched the curve of her neck and his beard rubbed on her skin "Your anatomy lessons are private. I am the only one entitled to them."

Owen pulled her closer and after exploring the soft skin of her neck, his lips made his way to hers, gently kissing her before letting go to check back on the children.

They had a quiet evening with their kids, spending time with them in the living room after dinner. Owen was playing with Megan on his lap when Amelia joined them on the couch. The baby immediately threw herself to Amelia's arms, fiercely grasping her shirt with her chubby wrists.

"You have the hunger of a Hunt, don't you?" Amelia gently caressed her daughter's dark blonde thin hair, being stared back by large crystal blue eyes while Megan fed.

Owen glanced at them sideways, seeing his daughter interact with her mother when Megan splayed one of her hands on Amelia's breast, not taking her eyes from her mom for one second. He knew by experience that young babies were very attached to their mother. Even though Megan laughed and threw herself at him every night when he came home from work, nothing could replace her bond with Amelia in such a tender age.

"I think dad is in love," Amelia playfully said to Megan, watching him stare at their five month old baby with genuine affection in his eyes. Their baby girl was a delight and they couldn't get enough of her.

Owen put one arm around his wife's shoulder, leaning closer to take a better look at them.

"Mom is absolutely right," Owen kissed Megan's head and then held Amelia's chin with one hand, pulling her face closer to his "Dad is absolutely in love," He added before looking deeply into Amelia's eyes to make her realize he meant her too and then planted a kiss on her lips.

Amelia snuggled next to him, leaning on his chest as Megan decided she'd had enough and tried to sit on her mother's lap.

"If this was a preview of what we're dealing with in the future," Amelia said, referring to the twins' incident with Dr. Walsh "I am seriously not looking forward to deeper conversations about the matter in the future," She said suggestively, looking at the four boys who happily chatted while playing with cars and building blocks.

"I know," Owen let out a heavy sigh "Me either."

"Hopefully, their next questions and doubts about this kind of stuff will only be in a few years." Amelia assured him. Their sons were yet too young and she would enjoy their pre-teen years as much as she could.

The image of her own sixteen year old self came to mind and Amelia quickly cleared her thoughts. She had been an awful teenager. Uncooperative, rebellious, unwilling to do anything… It was nearly a miracle she'd turned out so well.

But at least, her boys were yet too young, she thought. They had a happy home, a supportive family and were unlikely to be seduced by trouble when they were older. For now, she was happy to enjoy their innocence.

With that notion in mind, she got up, handing Megan over to Owen intending to gather the boys for their usual evening bath when Lucas' voice interrupted her trail of thoughts.

"Momma, how are babies made?"

The boy had been staring at his sister and watched as his mother had handed her over to their father. He had seen his mom's growing belly in the months prior to his sister's arrival and he now had a clear notion of how his mother had grown a baby. But what he couldn't seem to understand was how the baby had gotten in there in the first place.

"Mom?" Lucas repeated, seeing the puzzled look on her face.

Amelia exchanged looks with Owen, laughing at the irony of the situation. She made her way back to the couch, picking up Megan.

"You know what, baby," She told Lucas, running a hand through his hair, seeing that his brothers were still focused on their toys, "I am sure dad will be very happy to answer that question seeing as he is a specialist on the matter of getting mommy pregnant." She added, clearly having fun with the situation when she noticed the desperation in his eyes.

Owen looked up at Amelia, amused and outraged at the same time, but she was already on her way upstairs. He directed his eyes to his son, who very expectantly waited for an answer.

Owen ran a hand through his hair, not quite sure where to start. Lucas sat down in front of him, obviously eager to hear what his dad had to say. Owen scratched his forehead with one finger, trying to elaborate a line of thought that was appropriate for the mind of a seven year old. After the incident with the twins that morning, it was hard to think of something, but he knew he'd eventually have to get there. He had to. After all, that was one of the duties of being a dad.

It had been a long day, but apparently, it was also going to be a very long night.


	11. The Return

**My Boys Drabbles - The Return**

Amelia bent down by the bathroom sink, taking a close look in the mirror. Slowly, she let out a heavy sigh. How the hell had that happened to her?

Well, she certainly knew _how_. It wasn't the first or second time she was pregnant. She and Owen hadn't exactly been careful to prevent a new pregnancy lately, but she didn't think it would happen so soon. Lucas was only seven months old and she was still new to the rollercoaster that being a parent was.

She hadn't even discussed with Owen plans of having a second child. She knew he had always wanted to be a father and that he was crazy about Lucas. But adding another baby to the mix, especially with their busy careers, was going to be a challenge she wasn't sure they were ready to take on so soon.

The loud sound of Lucas' cries swept off the thoughts from her mind as she rushed from the bathroom to the nursery, seeing her inconsolable little one crying and stretching his arms for her. Lucas had just started daycare a couple of weeks before and he had caught a nasty cold in a matter of days of being there.

Amelia sighed, worried about her son. It was the first time he was sick and she was experimenting how awful it was. She never knew she would one day bargain with the universe to make her feel the pain instead of someone else. But that was exactly what was happening. Seeing Lucas in discomfort was nearly intolerable and she hoped by every hour he would get better soon. His stuffy nose was preventing him from getting quality sleep, making the baby even crankier.

And because he was cranky, all he wanted was the familiar comfort of his mother's arms. Which meant there was no point in letting Owen help with the overnight nightmare, because Lucas wouldn't stop crying until Amelia held him.

"Hey, my love…" Amelia picked him up, trying to soothe him back to sleep. The baby stopped crying, sneezed and resumed his loud protests "I know you're tired, I know… This sucks for me too." She held him tighter, feeling him calm down at the sound of her voice.

Lucas' big blue eyes were red and puffy when he looked back at her but when he gave Amelia a toothless smile between the painful tears, she could feel her heart melt.

"Oh, why do you have to be sick?" She kissed him repeatedly "You can't be sick, you break my heart when you cry like this and there is nothing I can do…" She realized the sound of her voice was making Lucas slowly doze off and continued "Do you know what kills mommy? That I have a freaking Harvard degree, I can slice up a freaking brain and yet I am so powerless when my son has a simple cold… There is nothing I can do to make it go away quicker and this is so damn frustrating, Luke."

"Are you actually swearing to the baby?" Owen's voice made her jump off her feet.

"Oh, shit!" Amelia took her free hand to her heart, feeling how raced it was. "Don't do that, don't sneak up on me like that!" She whispered to him in the darkness of the room.

Owen laughed and walked toward her, giving her a kiss on the back of her head before asking:

"How is he? Any better?"

"He is still not sleeping," Amelia was clearly frustrated "I put him down and after fifteen minutes he wakes up crying and irritated. I think he is not breathing very well because of his nose."

Owen sighed in distress and gently rubbed his son's thin hair, watching him move uncomfortably while sleeping.

"Why don't we take him to our bed tonight?" He suggested "This way we don't have to get up all the time to come here and maybe he will fall back asleep more easily when he wakes up because you'll already be there?"

Owen's idea was a lifesaver because it was the only way Amelia got any sleep. During the night, Lucas woke up several times, but he'd usually quickly bounce back when Amelia gently rubbed his back and whispered to him in the bed.

.

The following morning, Amelia entered the hospital carrying Lucas side by side with Owen. Since he was sick, she couldn't leave him at daycare, nor did she want to. But she still had to come in to do a quick check on her post-ops and reschedule her elective surgeries for the next days.

"So, take him while I check on my patients and as soon as I'm done I'll be back for him and take a cab home," Amelia shifted Lucas in her arms, ready to pass him to her husband "Owen?" She insisted, when she realized he wasn't giving her any attention.

"Just…just…," Owen lifted one finger and quickly looked at her before walking away. He thought he had seen something with the corner of his eyes but he had to be sure. "Wait a second, I'll be right back." He made the curve by the elevators, in the direction of the main hall.

"What the hell, Owen, we have to do this before he wakes up, you know he…" But Amelia stopped mid sentence when her eyes caught sight of Meredith and the person she expected the least to see in the hospital.

Cristina Yang stood in the middle of the corridor, now embracing her husband on a tight hug. Amelia frowned, keeping distance, wondering how in the world she was there, with Meredith.

"You're here!" Owen took a step back and looked at his ex-wife, still not quite believing she was there "Are you okay? How…" He struggled with his words "What brings you to Seattle?"

"She's back to operate on Link McNeil," Meredith informed him, referring to one of the kids Cristina had performed a heart transplant on right before she'd left for Switzerland. Uncommonly, Cristina had become very attached to the family.

"Is he at the hospital? I didn't know he was here," Owen confessed and while Meredith filled him in on the case, Cristina's eyes wandered from her ex-husband to a woman standing about twenty feet away from them.

"Amelia?" She asked, more to herself than to the others "Is that Amelia Shepherd?" She raised her voice a little so the two other surgeons could hear her.

Last time Cristina had seen Amelia had been during Derek's funeral and she had been a mess. Cristina highly doubted Amelia would be able to keep sober after the painful loss of her brother but against all expectations, Amelia had gotten through it.

Cristina knew from Meredith that she and Owen had been in an off and on relationship over the years. She had also heard, during a particularly busy conversation on the phone, that Owen had remarried. But it wasn't until now that realization hit her.

"Is that your baby?" Cristina asked, unintentionally in a higher pitch, as if she couldn't believe her own eyes.

Owen glanced over his shoulder, seeing his wife dividing her attention between their son and trying to figure out what her husband was doing. Slowly, Owen led Cristina and Meredith back to where Amelia was standing, next to the hospital main entrance.

"This," Owen said pointing to the adorable baby boy in Amelia's arms "Is our son, Lucas. He is seven months old," He said to Cristina, very proudly.

"Hey, Amelia," Cristina waved from distance, formally.

"Hi," Amelia replied with a smile, but she also felt the awkwardness of the situation. When Owen had suddenly left in the middle of their conversation she had been intrigued, but when she noticed what it had been for, she couldn't help feeling a little offended.

"He is adorable," Cristina said, politely. She knew babies were usually cute and that was what parents expected to hear. "Reminds me of Bailey." She added, because she couldn't think of what else to say.

It was Meredith's turn to smile with pride as she said:

"Well, I have to take Cristina upstairs to see her patient." She looked from Amelia to Owen "But we're having a small dinner party later at my house. The two of you should come."

"Yeah, sure," Owen quickly agreed and Amelia just nodded, seeing the two women walk toward the elevator.

"Did you know Cristina was coming?" Owen asked distractedly, tickling Lucas and getting a giggle from the baby "I had no idea she was coming…"

"I didn't know either," Amelia replied, a little stern. She had no idea why, but Cristina's presence intimidated her and she hated to feel like that. "Here, take Luke. I'll go see my post ops and meet you back here in a few." She added, now more eager than ever to go back home.

.

Much to Amelia's dismay, when she made it back to the ER about an hour later, she found Owen in the company of his ex-wife. He was holding their son asleep against his chest, sitting on a chair behind a computer while he laughed heartily at something the thoracic surgeon was saying.

Amelia kept walking in their direction and yet both were so caught up with whatever it was they were talking about that they didn't notice her until she stood by their side.

"Hey!" Owen said, still recovering from his laugh "Did you finish everything upstairs?"

"Yeah," Amelia gave him a half smile "What's so funny?" She asked, trying to sound as natural as possible.

"Um, Cristina was just telling me about Teddy's adventures at MEDCOM," Owen said, knowing Amelia probably didn't know who that was. His suspicious was confirmed when he saw the questioning look on his wife's face, "She is a friend of ours who used to work here,"

"Oh, the chief of cardio who served with you?" Amelia remembered Owen had mentioned her in random conversations.

"Yes," Cristina confirmed. "Every time it rains I can only think about her…Hey, what happened to that skills lab over there?" She pointed to one corner of the emergency room.

"Hm, a while ago they remodeled it into an on call and a conference room," Owen explained "They moved the lab over there," He pointed to a distant corner.

"I hope you're not torturing interns anymore," Cristina casually said "I feel like the spirit of those four pigs still haunt me even across the Atlantic." Once again Owen was assaulted by laughter, making Amelia wonder what they were talking about.

"I'm going to take Luke home," Amelia took one step forward, getting Lucas from his father's arms "I'll see you later, okay?" She nodded at Owen and acknowledged Cristina's presence before finally leaving.

Owen knew Amelia was coming from a few sleepless nights in a row because of Luke's cold, but he knew that despite that, she would always keep her liveliness and high spirit. It was very unlike Amelia to say goodbye to him without touching him, even if it was just a quick hug or a chaste kiss on the face. He immediately frowned, wondering if there was a meaning to that, but his thoughts were quickly interrupted once again by Cristina's chatter.

.

Amelia stood sideways in front of the mirror, lifting her shirt, looking for a non existing baby bump. Lucas' delivery had been brutal and rough and she had never been in so much pain in her life before. But that was not at all her biggest memory of childbirth. Soon after she had seen his tiny little face, everything she had gone through had suddenly been worth it.

She strongly suspected the new pregnancy but she hadn't had the mind to take a simple test at the hospital to confirm it, like she had planned to do earlier that morning. It was humiliating to admit it, even to herself, but the unexpected arrival of Owen's ex wife didn't make her feel at ease at all. In addition to that, she was unfortunate enough to walk in on them happily reminiscing the past.

Amelia took one look at Lucas, fussing in his stroller next to her and she pondered, with a heavy frown. Owen had a whole past before her she didn't know about. When they'd met, she'd been entitled to some parts of what made her husband the man he was today, but the truth was that there was a lot she still didn't know about him.

And a lot of that Cristina did.

Hating herself for feeling that way, Amelia quickly tried to sweep the thoughts off her mind. She loved Owen, and he loved her. They had just had a baby and were probably about to have a second one. There was absolutely no need to feel threatened by Cristina's presence. Owen had broken things off with her way before he had started dating Amelia and it was absurd to think that her marriage could be affected by something as the return of his ex wife.

Amelia couldn't stand it that in a matter of hours, she had turned into this insecure, vulnerable self. As she thought about it, trying to see things rationally rather than emotionally, she figured it had everything to do with the fact that she was the happiest she had ever been. The last thing she wanted at that moment was to change the way things were. She had never imagined how fulfilled and personally accomplished she would turn out to be, and the thought of losing even a fraction of that already made her turn to a disastrously jealous spouse.

Deciding she wouldn't let that affect her dynamic with her family, Amelia swallowed her pain and focused on Lucas. He was just coming back from a cold and deserved all her attention. After all, he was her biggest source of strength and she had to concentrate on him entirely.

.

Later that day, she heard Owen coming in.

"Hey, babe," He happily greeted her, but instead of kissing him as usual, Amelia slightly turned her head to be kissed on the cheek instead "How is this tough guy?"

"No more fever spikes," Amelia replied with a sad grin.

"I'm glad to hear that," Owen said, visibly relieved, as he took off his jacket and then asked "Hey, you're up for going to Meredith's? Pretty much everyone is going to be there."

"I don't know," Amelia really wasn't in the mood. She was exhausted, disappointed at herself and just wanted to be left alone "I think it's wiser if I stay in with Lucas. He is tired and just back to sleeping well again. The noise there might make him crankier."

"You're right," Owen said, visibly disappointed but fully agreeing with her.

"You should go, though," Amelia saw the disappointment on his face and it made her heart ache with anguish "All of your friends are going to be there and it's only fair that you go."

"It's not fair to you," Owen stated, firmly "Staying at home with our son while I go have fun. I'm not going to leave you alone here."

"He is not okay unless it's me there when he wakes up," Amelia said, referring to their baby, "Besides, I have some paperwork I need to catch up on. It's okay, Owen, go. I know you want to be there and it's not every day that everyone can be together like that. I don't mind at all, really. Go."

Amelia was lying. She did care. But not because she would be home with the baby while Owen went to a party. If that had happened in any other circumstance, she honestly wouldn't mind at all. But she knew Cristina was going to be there, and the thought of her husband fraternizing with his ex wife made Amelia cringe. She knew how deeply in love with Cristina Owen had once been and that would make her spend the entire night wondering how much it would take for one spark to ignite an old flame. But Amelia had vowed to herself she would be the bigger person and she was trying her best to act like a grown up.

"If anything happens, you call me, ok?" He gave her a kiss on the forehead. "Did you eat?"

"Yeah, I had a little snack before you came in, I'll be fine. Go. I'll see you later."

.

Owen made it back home a few minutes before eleven pm. He'd had a lot of fun with the rest of the guys, recalling old stories and fond memories, especially about Derek, Mark and Lexie. Arizona had Sophia over and to everyone's surprise, she revealed that she was pregnant after months of submitting to IV rounds.

Owen couldn't wait to tell Amelia, he knew she would be thrilled for their friend. As he stepped in the house, he thought about her and how much she'd been missed that evening. Not just by Maggie and Meredith, who had worried about her absence. But also by him, who enjoyed his wife's company much more than she could ever imagine.

Owen dropped his keys on the coffee table, wondering if Amelia really was sad or if it had just been an impression he'd had. He knew lately she'd been overwhelmed, especially because of their son's current condition, but even in situations like this, it wasn't like Amelia to lose her liveliness or constant smile.

He wondered what could have happened to make her change her ways so suddenly when it finally struck him and Owen felt like an idiot for not realizing it sooner. The only thing that had changed since that morning and evening had been Cristina's arrival.

The thought of his wife being jealous of Cristina made Owen burst out laughing. It couldn't be real, could it? What he'd had with Cristina was in the past and he was definitely over it. He had never thought about his ex wife that way, especially not ever since she'd moved to another country. Owen knew he had been completely over her even before he'd started his relationship with Amelia and there was simply no comparison between the two.

What he'd once had with Cristina had been intense and unique. Back then, they were like opposite ends of a magnet, completely different but insanely attracted to each other. And as the years progressed and they kept their push and pull, Owen had come out of the relationship perhaps even more scarred than he'd started out. Cristina had been special to him once, and Owen was grateful for her because amidst all the pain and the hell they'd been through together, he had finally been able to grow and mature and figure out for once what was it that he wanted.

And what he truly wanted was Amelia.

Her never ending energy, positive attitude and how she opened up to the world inspired Owen every day to be a better person. Back when he'd first met her, she had been like seeing a ray of sunshine after being in the dark for far too long. And now, she was still the brightest light of his life. Amelia had given Owen the thing he'd always wanted the most: a family of his own. Owen was a father now and he was completely in love with the mother of his son. Instead of consuming him like his previous relationships had, Amelia's presence added to his life every day. She was his better half, the love of his life and Owen couldn't be more grateful that she was his.

He made his way through the hall quietly, imagining Amelia must have been asleep already. He stopped quickly by Lucas' room, taking his time to watch his son sleep peacefully. Owen thanked the universe, grateful that his son was finally able to sleep with quality after the awful few days he'd just had.

As he made his way to his bedroom, he noticed to his surprise that Amelia wasn't asleep. Instead she was sitting on a small study desk they had in one of the corners, one of her legs folded beneath her body while the other was wrapped by one arm. Her forehead was frowning heavily at the notebook screen in front of her, as her eyes traveled from it to a heavy opened textbook by her side, probably comparing information between the two.

Owen felt the blood rushing through his veins when he noticed she was wearing a pair of enormous glasses. With her hair tied in a loose bun and her gorgeous blue eyes enlarged by the lenses, she looked like an innocent librarian. Owen then remembered how dirty in bed she could be and how much she enjoyed sex. That was a total contrast to her current look and the fantasy made Owen feel like his pants had suddenly become a little too tight.

"Hey," He stepped into the room, trying not to scare her.

"Hi," Amelia gave him a quick glance over her shoulder, acknowledging his presence and focused her attention again on the data she was collecting for a case study "How was dinner?"

"It was really good," Owen confessed, getting rid of his shoes and unbuttoning his shirt. He couldn't help but notice the outline of her delicious legs against the soft fabric of her leggings. "Everyone asked about you. They sent their best wishes to Luke."

"Good," Amelia replied distractedly, typing on the computer. Owen lay on the bed, tired but feeling energized at the same time.

"Did you eat?" He asked, unable to take his eyes off her. She was so focused and her glasses were so big he couldn't help smiling at the scene.

"Yeah, I had a sandwich," Amelia answered, still focused on her work.

A few seconds went by as Owen kept staring at her while she genuinely didn't notice it, keeping busy with her work.

"Will you at some point pay attention to me?" He asked playfully, propping his back on his elbows so he could stare directly at her.

Amelia turned her head over her shoulder, seeing Owen for the first time. He only wore pants and he was looking at her in a way she couldn't quite identify.

"I'm sorry," She frowned at him, wondering what the hell that smile on the corner of his lips meant "I'm almost done here."

"I guess that means no sex tonight then." He smiled broadly, openly teasing her.

"Not in the mood."

As she said the words, Amelia looked back at the document on the screen and resumed typing. Owen let out a heavy sigh and slowly sat, shrugging with resignation. Amelia was _always_ in the mood. They usually took turns taking the first step when it came to sex and Owen had never said no to her advances.

But in the few times she'd said no to him in the past, it had been because she'd been visibly angry at him. And she always made sure he knew it. This time was different and Owen was pretty sure he knew why.

Amelia wasn't angry. Instead, she looked sad and he hated seeing her like that. She had to know there was no reason to feel like that. Amelia was the only one for him and Owen would make sure she knew it.

"Can I at least kiss you?" He asked, seductively.

Amelia took her eyes off the screen again and looked at him, seeing how his expression had gone from playful to lustful.

"Fine," She said, succeeding in sounding like it didn't make a difference.

Owen waited until she focused again on the textbook and slowly rose from the bed. As he did, he stood right behind her chair and closed his hand around her hair bun, slowly lifting it to expose her neck. His lips gently brushed on the softness of her skin, making Amelia involuntarily shrink her shoulders when she felt shivers running down her spine.

Amelia was upset and wasn't planning to have him touch her, not that evening, but her planned reaction to tell him she needed to work quickly vanished off her mind when his wet lips traced the entire length of the column of her neck, gently making its way down her spine. His free hand traveled to her shirt, pulling it down to expose more of her shoulder to the caress of his lips.

Amelia was assaulted by a mindblowing erotic sensation, unable to concentrate on anything else while he caused that tingling sensation on her back. Her own hands quickly dropped the textbook when she felt Owen's trimmed beard scratching on the delicate skin of her neck as his lips went from brushing to fully sucking and nipping.

His lips made their way back and forth on her shoulders, and what had once been kisses became bites. She felt like it should hurt but for some reason, it was making her delirious with desire. His tongue made its way through the curve between her shoulder and neck as she felt his familiar scent inebriating her when Owen once again devoted himself to kissing every bit of her back.

When Amelia thought it couldn't get any better, she felt his hand roughly pulling her hair up to take control entirely of her back. His left hand invaded her shirt and involved her breast without ceremony. Amelia felt his large fingers brushing her sensitive spot and the rough skin of his palms against the delicate sensitivity of her nipple, making her bend forward, losing all control.

As his teeth involved the skin of her neck, leaving red marks all over it, she felt his kisses getting dangerously close to her jaw. He then undid her bun, letting the mass of dark brown curls fall on a cascade over her shoulders. Before Amelia could recover her senses, his fingers dug through her hair, his short nails gently scratching her scalp, adding to her desire. His right hand then went to her face, holding her jaw to turn her head toward his hungry mouth, seizing control entirely.

When his lips brushed against her cheek, Amelia felt like she couldn't take it any longer. Owen was standing up behind her, his hand still holding her breast mercilessly, so she had to tilt her head up to finally meet his lips with hers, feeling his hands travel to her neck and stomach as his hungry tongue invaded her mouth, claiming it as his.

Amelia let go completely, being assaulted by intense waves of desire. His hands pulled her hair back and she kept her eyes closed, trying to guess by the touch of his breath where he would kiss her next. Owen teased more and more, biting, scratching and kissing, driving her to her edge. His lips offered a preview of everything he wanted to do to her and she felt her knees weak as his hand closed on the inside of her thigh, roughly squeezing her there.

And just when Amelia thought he would grab her and take her to bed, his kisses became tenderer as he slowly pulled apart.

"You can go back to work now," Owen said with a smirk, as if he knew something she didn't. He kept his head dangerously close to hers and whispered in her ear "But if you ever doubt me again, next time I kiss you I won't ask for permission."

"What?" Amelia turned on the chair, getting up to face him. She felt abandoned and frustrated to be left alone after the most erotic kiss she'd ever gotten.

"This is what you make me feel," Owen held her face between his cupped hands, looking her deeply in the eyes and then suggestively to the places in her body he'd explored. Her lips were red and swollen, and she had his teeth marks all over her neck and shoulders. "I love you."

"I know," Amelia replied, still frowning. She had no idea what had gotten into him.

"No. You don't," Owen said very calmly, with a smug smile on his face. "Amelia, I love you."

"I know," She repeated, still confused.

"Babe," Owen involved her waist and brought her closer, without breaking eye contact with her. Amelia could feel his erection hard against her stomach "I love _you_."

Amelia's breath was rapid and irregular. She kept looking into his eyes, looking for more answers but all he did was stare at her with adoration and desire in those amazing crystal blue eyes.

"You're being really creepy right now." She raised one eyebrow at him.

"That's because I love you."

"Stop repeating that!" Amelia lost her patience and splayed her hands on his chest, pulling away, but Owen kept her trapped in his embrace.

"But do you know? Do you?" He lost his patience too and when she looked away, Owen fiercely grabbed her chin with one hand, forcing her to look at him again "Then why is it you doubt it if I'm not here to reinforce it?"

Amelia looked away again. Her body was still tingling with all the sensations Owen had just given her but her heart was aching inside her chest. She knew she had no reason to feel insecure about his love for her but for some reason, she did.

"Because you were married to her once!" She burst out, unable to hold her feelings any longer "You were married to her," She repeated it, this time looking him in the eyes.

Owen's serious expression slowly made way to a loving smile that grew from the corner of his lips.

"Yes," He said, touching her forehead with his "I _was_. And I'm married to you now," Owen's hands grabbed her waist and gave it a gentle squeeze "I chose to be married to you, Amelia. I don't regret it one bit."

She kept staring at him, slowly calming down and Owen continued, seeing he was finally getting through to her.

"I can't change my past, babe," He caressed her sides with his thumbs, "But you are my entire future. Don't do that," He said, referring to her having any doubts about him "You are an incredible person and I feel lucky every day that you chose me too. Don't doubt yourself, babe. It doesn't suit you." He said playfully, giving her a kiss on the tip of her nose.

"That's why I was upset," Amelia confessed. "I wasn't mad at you. I was mad at myself for turning into this pile of insecurity and self doubt." Her hands involved his neck and Amelia leaned over him, resting her cheek against her chest as his arms strongly hugged her again. She could feel his strong, steady heartbeat against the side of her face and his warmth was everything she needed "It wasn't just Cristina's presence. It was me realizing you have a whole past I don't know about."

"So do you," Owen said, feeling the amazing smell of vanilla that came out of her hair "It affects me too," He confessed.

"It does?" Amelia looked up to him, surprised she wasn't the only one who felt like insecure. The thought made her feel an immense relief.

"Yeah," Owen starred deeply into her eyes "Babe, there is so much about you I don't know yet, but I know all that matters. And I love you," He caressed her hair, repeating the words with a joyous tone in his voice. "I'm sorry if I don't say it enough." He added, more seriously.

Amelia involved his hips with her arms once again and nestled against his chest.

"Owen?"

"Yeah?"

"I think I'm pregnant."

His silence let Amelia know he was in shock. Slowly, she lifted her head and looked at him, laughing at his expression.

"You're kidding," He said, "You're just trying to mess with my head because of what just happened."

"No, I'm not." She said with a smile.

"You're very funny," Owen nervously laughed, taking one step back.

"Babe, I am _not_ kidding." Amelia said, laughing at his expression "I took a urine test yesterday. I was going to draw some blood and confirm it before telling you but I'm pretty sure we have another one on the way."

"I'm very…" Owen couldn't speak. Amelia watched as his startled expression slowly transformed into pure joy and excitement "We're gonna have another baby!" He celebrated, lifting her up and kissing her lips.

"We have a seven month old," Amelia reminded him, noticing he couldn't stop smiling "Don't you want to discuss this first? A new baby is going to change our lives completely."

"I don't care," He said honestly "Do you want me to quit my job? Change my specialty to dermatology? Sign up for another tour?" He teased, receiving a smack on the arm from her when he mentioned the latter "Because I will. I will do anything." Owen starred affectionately into her eyes "Just keep them coming," He playfully added, referring to babies.

"How many more?" Amelia smiled against his lips, contaminated by his overwhelming happiness at the news she'd just shared.

"One baby a year," He exaggerated, so happy he couldn't think straight "Do you have any idea how happy you make me?"

"I have a vague idea," Amelia joked, thoroughly enjoying his joy.

"Babe, I need to ask you something," Owen replied, very serious.

"Yeah?" Amelia frowned, worrying why his expression had suddenly changed. Owen kept a very serious tone of voice and sternly asked:

"Are you in the mood now?"

Only when she saw his face lighting up with mirth she realized he was messing with her. They were in a great place, she realized. Two years of marriage and a few bumps down the road later, she was the happiest she had ever been in her entire life. And that happiness was about to multiply with their latest addition.

"Yes," She smiled at him, realizing not for the first time the amazing man he was. He deserved everything and she planned on giving the world to him. She gave him a suggestive look as she took off her top and close the notebook screen "Now I am completely in the mood…"


	12. Moving In

**My Boys Drabbles – Moving In**

"Amelia, you're not gonna believe this!" Owen stormed into the house, closing the front door after him, "Guess who I treated in the ER today, you're never-" Owen stopped mid-sentence when he noticed Amelia wasn't alone like he had originally imagined. "Hey, Maggie" He said cheerfully, dropping his car keys on the coffee table "What's going on?" He added, noticing Amelia's best friend definitely didn't look well.

"Babe, Maggie is going to spend the night, ok?" Amelia looked deeply into his eyes and Owen understood that with that look that he shouldn't ask any more questions.

"Yeah, sure." He replied casually "I'm just going to take a shower, I'll leave you guys to talk. I can cook dinner if you don't want to order in."

"Amelia cooked us chicken parm," Maggie said with a smile, but her eyes were swollen and her red nose betrayed her "We were waiting for you to be home so we could all have dinner together."

"Oh," Owen said hesitantly, smiling "We are eating Amelia's food tonight." He added with an evil smile.

"What is that suppose to mean?" Amelia asked, throwing a pillow at him before he could dodge it.

"Nothing, I was celebrating it," Owen lied, approaching her and before she could react, he possessively held her face with his hand and crushed her lips with his. Owen pulled back and looked deeply into her eyes "Hey."

They exchanged smiles and Owen rushed to the bathroom, leaving both women alone in the living room.

"Sorry about that," Amelia looked back at Maggie, trying to pull herself together "You were saying?"

Maggie looked at her devoted sister for a few seconds with a sympathetic smile on her face.

"He is a great guy, isn't he?" The thoracic surgeon let her thoughts wander, noticing how Owen's arrival had lightened up the atmosphere.

"He is," Amelia felt silly and couldn't believe she was blushing like a schoolgirl when she replied "He is the very best, actually."

"I am really happy for you, you know that, right?" Maggie involuntarily stretched out her hand and grabbed Amelia's, giving it a tight squeeze "I am so happy that you found someone who loves you and treats you well."

"You'll get there too, Maggie!" Amelia said, firmly believing it.

"Yeah, eventually…" Maggie replied, with a defeated look.

Earlier that same day, Amelia had noticed not for the first time that week how Maggie looked tired and sad. She had tried her very best to cheer up her sister, but nothing seemed to work. It had been three months since Amelia had married Owen and Maggie had found out that the guy she was falling for was actually involved with Meredith Grey.

At first it had crushed Maggie's heart but she had risen above the situation, accepting once again that some things just weren't meant to be. But slowly, as the relationship between Meredith and Riggs had progressed, it had become extremely uncomfortable for Maggie to share the same house as her sister, having to welcome Riggs into their house nearly every evening after Riggs already knew about her infatuation with him.

Maggie deserved better, and Amelia knew it. The thoracic surgeon would never let a man get in the way of her relationship with Meredith but she couldn't pretend that Nathan Riggs' constant visits didn't make her reminisce about her broken heart. Meredith and Riggs might not have been aware of that, but Amelia was. And the least she could do was offer her sister a place to stay while she looked for an apartment of her own.

Maggie, on the other hand, couldn't express with words how grateful she was that she could count on someone like Amelia. Even though Maggie was known for being a talker, sometimes she felt like she didn't need words, because Amelia just knew. She could take one look at Maggie and just know how she felt and being able to be honest and vulnerable around someone who Maggie knew loved her was something irreplaceable in her heart.

"You should ask Owen if he is okay with me being here for a while," Maggie said and she meant it "I don't want to be in the way of the two of you and I definitely don't want to be a burden."

"Don't be silly," Amelia reprimanded her. "You're welcome to stay for as long as you'd like. Besides, Owen has probably already figured out why you're here."

"I'll be out of here as soon as I find a decent place, I promise."

"Don't make me hit you," Amelia joked, "Because I will. As I said, you can take your time." She added, already on her way to heat dinner for the three of them.

.

Maggie woke up early the following morning, planning to make breakfast for her friends, who had been so nice to her the previous evening. To her surprise, both Owen and Amelia were already up and running by the time she made it to the kitchen.

She took her time watching the two of them interacting. Maggie couldn't help keeping a smile on her face as she watched Amelia standing by the kitchen sink, apparently trying to wash something while Owen hovered around her, playfully biting her shoulders and making Amelia laugh as he whispered something in her ear.

They were so honest, Maggie thought. So honest and authentic. They really liked each other, and more than that, they thoroughly enjoyed each other's presence. She had never seen Amelia so at ease or acting so spontaneously as when she was with Owen. It didn't take more than a few weeks after her sister had gotten married for Maggie to realize how completely comfortable Amelia was with him. She was happy for them. Genuinely happy. And she wanted the same for herself.

All her life, she had always dreamt big. She had always known that she would succeed in her career and in her profession. But Maggie wanted more. She wanted success in her personal life too, especially concerning a relationship. She didn't need a knight in shining armor or to be completely swept off her feet. All she wanted was someone she could count on, someone who would be there at the end of a very long day to comfort her and be there for her. Someone she could care for and love.

She wanted exactly what Owen and Amelia had.

"Hey," She made herself known in the kitchen and Owen instantly pulled apart, changing his attitude towards Amelia.

"Hey Maggie," Amelia cheerfully greeted her, her bright eyes sparkling in the morning. "How did you sleep?"

"Fine, thanks, guys. You can go back to doing whatever it is you were doing, I didn't mean to interrupt you," Maggie teased, knowing Owen would blush.

He did and also as Maggie predicted, Amelia laughed heartily, completely comfortable with the situation.

"I was just telling Owen about Webber's idea for tonight," Amelia shared "Has he said anything to you guys?" When it was obvious both were oblivious to what Amelia was saying, she carried on "Webber suggested that the attendings should have more activities together, preferably outside of work… I don't know what's gotten into him to be honest," Amelia confessed "I think this residency coordinator thing is confusing his head… Anyways, he thought we could all get together at Joe's tonight."

"Why?" Maggie asked, taking a seat next to Owen. She really wasn't in the mood to socialize with anyone from work, especially after the last few weeks.

"Did he say who was coming?" Owen scowled, concerned about Maggie. He'd seen Riggs hurting his own sister once and he would not tolerate it if the guy did the same to Amelia's sister.

"I don't know," Amelia said with honesty "Everyone who's not on call, I suppose."

"Great," Owen lied, not willing to be a killjoy. Amelia seemed excited about it and he didn't want to ruin the fun for her. Maggie simply shrugged and took a sip of her coffee.

"Oh come on you guys, it could be fun!" Amelia looked from her husband to her sister, seeing they weren't as invested as she was "I just can't wait to kick Karev's ass, can you believe that bastard beat me at darts the other night…"

.

When Owen realized it, later that evening he was sitting at one of the high stools at Joe's bar, taking a sip of his beer while he laughed at Amelia and Karev battling over darts.

"She is a real piece of work, isn't she?" Maggie commented with a half smile, crushing a peanut.

"I think that doesn't begin to describe it," Owen replied, noticing how his wife was worked up about the competition.

Maggie saw the love in Owen's eyes and she felt her heart constrict a little. When Owen talked about Amelia, his whole face softened and even his voice changed. Would she ever be lucky enough to find someone who loved her like that?

By the time Amelia was pointing the darts at Karev instead of the board, Owen felt like it was better to intervene. From a distance, Maggie watched him join the fun, taking one dart from Amelia's hand despite her protests.

"Hey, we're going to play pool, you're in?" Arizona took one of the peanuts and looked over at Maggie "You look drained, what happened?"

"Long day," Maggie lied. The truth was she had a long night.

"Then you should be on my team. You could use a win to cheer you up," Arizona said with good humor. "You, Amelia and me. Let's take on the boys" She said, referring to Karev, Owen and Webber. "We're gonna kick their asses."

Maggie was about to reply she wasn't in the mood when the doors to Joe's opened and Meredith and Riggs walked in, taking off their coats.

"What are we missing?" Riggs said with his typical thick accent, already taking a seat at their table.

"I was just about to go play with them," Maggie replied, heading towards the pool table.

Amelia watched from distance as Maggie finished her drink with one long sip and walked toward her, reaching for one of the cue sticks.

"What was that all about?" She raised an eyebrow to Maggie, seeing the slightly angry look on her face.

"I'm just mad at the situation, that's all," Maggie explained "I'm mad at me because I don't know how to deal with it."

"Because of Riggs?" Amelia asked.

"Because of Meredith." Maggie replied.

Truth was, Maggie was heartbroken not because of Riggs, but because of Meredith. She would get over her crush on Riggs, like she'd gotten over many crushes before in her lifetime. But her relationship with Meredith was something unique and it made Maggie sad that it was clearly changing. They were growing apart and that was painful to face. Maggie didn't know how to stop it.

"Is this happening or what?" Karev approached them from behind, eager to have another dispute with Amelia.

The six attendings started rounding around the pool table, being watched by a few amused residents who were also stretching their nights at the bar. When Amelia offered to buy everyone's drinks, Owen thought she was being nice, but when she did it for the second time, he realized what she was up to: Since she didn't drink, she was trying to get everyone else drunk so she would be the only sober person left standing, increasing her chances of winning.

"You suck!" Amelia laughed at Karev, mocking him to try to get him to miss the ball. It worked, making Amelia, Arizona and Maggie gloat at their advantage.

Webber looked at the three woman with a smile on his face, seeing they were succeeding at getting on Karev's nerves. After a few shots, everyone's accuracy was compromised but the girls were slightly ahead. Amelia Shepherd being a neurosurgeon was a great asset to the team because her skills were simply impressive. Her steady hands and good aim at hitting the balls had put the girls a few points at their advantage.

"You're up, Hunt." Webber handed him the cue stick "Make me proud," He added, with his usual chief-like attitude.

Owen smiled with the corner of his lips, seeing how confident the three women were, especially after Amelia had done so well in her turn.

"What are we betting?" He asked, clearly challenging them.

"We can bet anything you want, because you're going down!" Amelia exclaimed with passion and was immediately cheered in support by Arizona and Maggie.

"Anything I want?" Owen raised an eyebrow, cockily.

Amelia nodded affirmatively and Owen leaned in to whisper something in her ear. By the look on her face, Maggie imagined Owen was saying something dirty because Amelia quickly agreed.

"Ok, let's do this!" The neurosurgeon said excitedly, running around the guys to see what would happen next. Everyone was already tipsy, with the exception of Amelia and Webber. But unlike the calm former chief of surgery, who was serene and rational, Amelia was all over the place, cheering against the guys and booing them anytime it was their turn.

Owen took the stick and to everyone's surprise, one by one all the balls were sent to their respective holes. No one expected him to be that good, especially not after a few beers. Maggie and Arizona stood there looking appalled, as Karev and Webber celebrated their win.

"What the hell?" Amelia quizzically asked "What did you do? Did you cheat?"

"How would I cheat?" Owen asked, taking a sip from his beer bottle.

"You did something!" Amelia accused him, going around her husband in circles, obviously not quite believing what had just happened.

"Yeah, I did," Owen gloated "I won."

The guys laughed and mocked the girls, especially Amelia, since she was the one being the most competitive about the situation.

"Looks like next round is on us, then." Arizona said, accepting defeat.

"No!" Amelia protested "How did you… This is not fair! Owen, you never said you were this good!"

"There are many things I'm good at and you don't know yet," He teased her, holding her chin with one hand and stealing a kiss.

Amelia pulled away, splaying both hands on his chest. She was having a hard time accepting it.

"This is just absurd." She said, refusing to keep being mocked by the guys.

"They won fair and square, Amelia," Maggie said, laughing for the first time that evening. Amelia might have been the one with the steadiest and most accurate hands, but Owen was surely the one with the best aim.

"How did you do it?" Amelia asked, not resisting his approaches. She felt Owen's arms wrapping around her waist from behind her back and this time she let him.

"Well, I have gun training," Owen said, explaining his excellent aim "And also," He added with a grin "There is not much else we can do when it's calm in the desert." He added, referring to playing pool.

"So this is what you get for serving the country," She made fun of him "A few scars and a sharp talent for pool."

"Pretty much," Owen agreed and once again kissed her smiling lips.

.

Two weeks later, Amelia stood by the door watching Maggie take a box of personal belongings to her car. After exhausting days of apartment hunting, Maggie had finally found a place she liked and was moving out of Amelia and Owen's house.

"That was the last box," Owen wiped his hands on the sides of his jeans. He had done most of the heavy lifting to help Maggie.

"You guys," Maggie's voice started to fail as she sobbed, hugging both Amelia and Owen at the same time "Thank you both so much for everything, really."

"You're always welcomed," Owen replied with a sympathetic smile.

"Let me know how it's working out at the new place," Amelia said. She really cared for Maggie and wanted nothing but happiness for her.

Maggie said her goodbyes and headed to the car. When she saw Owen wrapping his arm around Amelia's shoulder, a memory popped in her mind and she couldn't help but turn around and ask:

"Hey guys, remember a couple of weeks ago when we were playing pool at Joe's?" When they nodded in agreement, Maggie proceeded "We bet on it and Owen whispered a prize in your ear," Maggie remembered with a smile. She was being indiscreet but she didn't care. She was intimate enough with Amelia to ask. "What was it?"

Amelia had never talked about it and Maggie had been curious, but she had completely forgotten until then. Judging by Amelia's reaction in the bar that day, she imagined just how dirty Owen's proposal must have been.

Maggie saw when Amelia exchanged a playful look with her husband and then turned back to her to reply:

"Remember the day you first moved in here when Owen got home from work completely excited about something? Well, that day he had treated one of the defense coaches for the Seattle Seahawks in the ER. The guy gave him two tickets for the game next week."

"Yeah?" Maggie still didn't understand it.

"I bet with her that if I won the pool game, she'd have to go with me." Owen explained and then looked at Amelia with a reluctant smile "And not complain about it for the entire afternoon."

Maggie frowned for two seconds. Then her expression went from confused to completely irritated.

"That's it?!" She asked, visibly disappointed "A stupid ball game? Here I was, thinking Owen had made you the most outrageous and sexy proposal but he wants to take you to a football game instead?"

Amelia looked at Maggie, having fun. She shrugged, obviously resigned with the situation and replied:

"It turns out marriage isn't _just_ about sex, after all."

Maggie thought about it for a second.

"As much disappointing as it is," She declared, walking back to her car "It makes me feel a little better about not being married."

Owen and Amelia exchanged looks once again and waved Maggie goodbye, seeing her car disappear in the distance.

"So…" Owen's other arm traveled to her waist, wrapping her from behind "I'm going to claim my prize next week, but…" He stopped what he was saying and started a trail of kisses on the side of her neck.

"But…?" Amelia asked, laughing at the tickling sensation.

"Well, since you turned out to be such a good loser you deserve a consolation prize right now." He stated with a mischievous grin.

"No complaints from me," Amelia replied in the same sexy tone of voice, gently biting his knuckles.

Owen guided her inside and closed the door after them. His hands quickly traveled to her face, bringing her lips to meet his with seductive urgency.

"You know what?" Amelia said between his kisses. Owen was already undressing her and exploring her body with his lips "I might be a good loser," She laughed when he took her in his arms, hurriedly carrying her to their bed. "But you, babe, are an _excellent_ winner…"


	13. Sunburn

**My Boys Drabbles – Sunburn**

Amelia was lying awake on her stomach in bed, exhausted, blissfully happy and unable to gather enough energy to open her eyes.

She was about to doze off when she felt Owen's lips tracing a path on her bare back. Her muscles twitched when she was assaulted by his ticklish kisses. His soft laughter at her body's reaction echoed throughout the room, waking her up completely.

"What do you want to do today?" Owen asked, lying down with the side of his face on her back.

"I think we just did it," Amelia teased, with a naughty smile on her lips. She was still recovering from their amazing lovemaking just minutes before.

Owen laughed and lifted his head, leaning over her to get a better look of her face.

"Come on… It's a beautiful day outside, unusually beautiful for June, and I would like to spend some time outdoors. Let's go do something?"

"Like what?" Amelia moaned in protest. She wouldn't mind staying in all day if that meant being lazy, reading books and catching up on movies or TV shows.

"I don't know…" Owen thought which option would be best to convince her "We could buy tickets to the game tomorrow…"

"No."

"We could go camping in the woods."

"Owen, I'm not sleeping in a tent." Amelia replied with a firm voice.

"Then let's go fishing!"

"Fishing?" She frowned. He seemed really excited about the idea and Amelia had no clue why. Fishing sounded like the most boring way to spend the day, especially a sunny Saturday.

"Yup," Owen's eyes were wide with excitement. "You know, your brother was the one who taught me how to fish. Maybe I can teach it to you, too."

Owen loved to spend time in the woods because of the peace and quietness. He looked forward to spend a few hours away from technology, cell phones and all the noise that came with it.

"Are you bringing up my dead brother in an attempt to convince me?" Amelia turned her head sideways, looking conspicuously at him.

"Maybe", Owen replied with a boyish grin.

"I can't believe you…!" Amelia couldn't hold her laughter and rolled over on the bed, turning around to face him. "Fine," She decided. "We can go fishing or whatever."

If it were up to her, they'd stay home all day but Owen looked extremely excited at the thought of her going with him and she didn't have the courage to let him down, especially when she honestly didn't have any other plans.

So, one hour later, Amelia found herself sitting on a fishing boat, watching as Owen unloaded everything he had packed for their little getaway.

"You didn't need all that," He pointed out, seeing how dressed up she was. Amelia had on a hat, a long sleeve shirt and her face was plastered with sunscreen.

"Oh yeah?" She took offense in his assumption "Look at how strong the sun is, you're going to thank me later for bringing the sunscreen." She added, splashing the white gel on his face before he could dodge her touch.

Owen laughed and sorted out the rods, giving one to her. They stayed silent for a while, after he'd taught her how to properly set everything up. Owen had already put his rod in the water multiple times while Amelia still prepared for her first round. He laughed in amusement at the way his wife tried to accurately place her bait on the hook.

"You don't need a perfect midline incision for this," He teased her. "It's not a Whipple."

"For some of us, accuracy comes naturally," Amelia gloated, realizing she was far better at detailed manual work than he was "I'm an actual surgeon, not a butcher." And she looked at him suggestively.

"I'm actually a doctor, not a brain nerd," He very calmly explained, unaffected by her provocation. "Besides, if we lived a few centuries ago, you'd completely depend on me for survival."

"That's absurd. And totally untrue." Amelia snapped back, visibly outraged.

"You do one beautifully while I do half a dozen right," He explained, seeing his basket already had four fish while hers had none. Owen loved seeing how worked up she was getting. Amelia was always competitive and he found that amusing.

"Well, you can take your fish and light a fire with them in the woods to survive for all I care."

"If I light a fire with them, we wouldn't have dinner," Owen couldn't help smiling at her predicament. "See, this is why you'd never survive alone in the woods."

"Well, good thing I don't have to," Amelia replied impatiently.

"Don't worry, baby, I got your back," Owen teased her. "I'll provide food for us while you stay in our cave tending to our offspring."

"Am I suppose to find that notion romantic?" Amelia bitterly asked.

She was so distracted by their hypothetical argument that she never noticed her line was moving.

"Look, it seems you got one," Owen interrupted her, excitedly pointing to her rod "Hold on here, I'll help you."

Amelia planned to stay still, afraid she'd lose the fish if she moved, but she couldn't help herself. As Owen tried to help her unhook it from the bait, she made a big mess, spilling over the bait bucket. Ultimately, Owen ended up with his shirt soaked in fish water and worms.

"Oh, God, I am sorry!" She smiled at him, contagiously, but he could tell she hadn't done it on purpose.

"I sense this is revenge" Owen laughed in amusement and kissed her head.

"Get your filthy fish hands off me," Amelia smiled playfully at him, but she really was disgusted by the way he smelled.

"You're really not cut out for this," Owen realized, enjoying her presence anyway. He took off his shirt, getting rid of it while starting the boat so they could go back home.

"Hey, I rallied, ok?" She sat down next to him. "Don't, Owen!" Amelia protested when he wrapped both arms around her, pulling her to sit on his legs. The boat was very small and she was afraid they'd end up losing balance and falling in the lake. "If you make me fall off the boat I swear I'm asking for an annulment."

"Here, hold this," Owen handed her his rod and when Amelia took it, he held her face between his hands and kissed her slowly, savoring every corner of her mouth. "Ok, now you can give it back to me." He took the object from her hands.

"You should really live in a caveman's age," She smiled broadly, loving to spend time alone with him, even if it was in a tiny boat, in a lake in the middle of nowhere in Seattle. "You're the most possessive person I know."

Owen laughed and leaned over, rejoicing in her touch when Amelia wrapped an arm around his neck and snuggled up next to him.

"I like to take good care of what's mine," He said, leaning in again for another kiss "Do you want to grill these for lunch?"

"Yes, sure," Amelia promptly agreed.

They made their way back to their house and Amelia watched in delight as her husband started the grill in the yard. It was a sunny Saturday and the weather was warm, making it a perfect day to spend time outside.

She had to admit the experience had been better than she expected, but she didn't plan on returning to a fishing boat anytime soon. She spent the entire afternoon lying on the couch with Owen, talking to each other instead of watching the movie they had put on.

It wasn't until they were getting ready for bed that Owen came out of the shower looking extremely uncomfortable. When he unwrapped his towel, Amelia was shocked to find out that his upper back, shoulders and neck were badly sunburned. Her eyes scanned through the erythema, noticing how painful it looked.

"Oh my God, Owen!" Amelia got up from the bed and stood in front of him, making him sit down on the mattress so she could have a better look "This doesn't look good at all, how did this happen?

"I think it was when I took off my shirt on the boat," Owen scowled when she gently touched his back "Ouch, that's sensitive."

"I know," Owen could spot the compassion on her face as Amelia spoke. He had probably been feeling it during the whole day but hadn't said a word. Amelia hated how stubborn and proud her husband could be sometimes. "Damn it, Owen, I told you to wear sunscreen!" Her tone of voice changed in a matter of seconds, going from sympathetic to fully disapproving. "Now look at this, you're going to be in pain for at least a couple of days. You're lucky there are no blisters… Not yet, at least."

"I wouldn't imagine it'd get this bad this quick." He justified. "It was for less than an hour. And I wasn't planning on taking off my shirt, I just got distracted."

"This is why you should listen to me," Amelia said, sighing heavily.

She had very fair skin and knew too well the damage exposing it to the sun could cause, so she was always very careful whenever she went outdoors. Owen, being if possible whiter than she was, should have known better.

"We're gonna need to hydrate this," Amelia decided, noticing the expression of pain on his face. She gently combed his hair with her fingers, checking for scalp burns too. "Damn it, babe, even your head feels like it's on fire… I'm glad at least you didn't burn your face because this doesn't look good at all… I'll be right back."

She went to the bathroom and got a small bottle of moisturizer, splashing it on her hands.

"This will feel cold against the warmth on your back, you should feel some kind of relief when I apply it," She said, obviously worried about his discomfort.

"It's okay, it doesn't hurt that bad," Owen lied, touched to see how concerned she was. "I've had worst sunburns when I was serving in the desert."

Amelia took her eyes off his back and pulled apart, looking for his eyes. Owen rarely talked about his time in service. She had always known that even though he had been through hell there, he would go back and do it all over again if he had to, and she admired that about him. But hearing about the pain he had probably been through made her heart swell with anguish. She knew that a bad sunburn was probably just the tip of the iceberg.

"Owen…" Her voice was hoarse and she approached him, gently applying the lotion on his back. Owen felt the stinging sensation of the cold liquid against his warm skin and reflexively pulled out his back. "I'm sorry, you'll feel better once I'm done."

Owen noticed the gentleness she reserved for him. Her hands were like light feathers touching his back, and he noticed she was trying her hardest to ease his pain. That realization made him feel like he couldn't love her more than he already did. With a smile of adoration on his face, Owen stretched out his hands, slowly involving her waist in his embrace.

Amelia didn't seem to mind as he brought her closer and buried his face in her stomach, feeling her hands rubbing his shoulders and upper arms, where the burns were more flagrant.

"You won't be able to lie on your back for at least a couple of days," Amelia noticed, imagining that even putting on a shirt would be painful.

"That's ok, I can be on top," Owen looked up at mischievously.

"Very funny," Amelia wondered how he could be thinking about sex in a moment like that. "Did you really hurt yourself this bad when you were overseas?"

Owen shrugged, not giving much thought into it.

"Baby, why is it you never tell me what it was like over there?" She asked, deeply concerned.

"Well, you never really asked," Owen said, with a tender smile. "I didn't know you wanted to know."

"I do," Amelia confessed, with honesty. She wanted to know everything there was to know about him. Because every quality and every flaw she discovered in him made her love the man he was even more.

"It's not really that interesting." Owen was not sure of what to say. Truth was, other than his therapist, he had never talked about that with anyone before. It was a strange and entirely new position to be in and he usually felt violated when people brought up the subject. But with Amelia, somehow he felt comfortable, knowing he could probably tell her anything without being judged, because she too had been through hell and had found her way back from it.

"Tell me, anyway," Amelia sat down next to him, gently kissing the painful marks on his skin. "I wish I could have been here for you when you came back," She held his face between her hands, rubbing his cheeks with her thumbs while looking deeply into his eyes.

Owen noticed how her eyes were overflowing with loyalty and love.

"There was nothing you could have done for me back then, Amelia." He smiled lovingly at her, feeling blessed for having her. "I was a complete mess, and I'm glad I didn't know you yet, otherwise I would have only caused you pain."

"You're wrong," Amelia said, completely sure of what she was saying. "I could have held you," She stared into his eyes and he noticed her adorable face was filled with concern. "I could have loved you," She leaned over and kissed him "And when you were done grieving for the hell you've been through, we would have started our family together."

"You can love me now," Owen proposed, completely touched by her words.

Amelia smiled at him and he took her in, overwhelmed by his own emotions. Her lips covered his in a kiss that was meant to comfort and encourage. When they pulled apart, she sat on the bed next to him and Owen started to tell her what had motivated him to join the army and how his life had completely changed after his decision.

He then lost track of time, realizing much later that they had spent pretty much all night talking. Once he started sharing his story, he had found it hard to stop revealing his past, because Amelia made him feel completely at ease to tell her anything. And while he told her more about him, he heard his wife sharing more about her and the complicated past she'd also had.

The sun was about to rise again when Owen felt exhaustion start to consume him. He was physically drained but emotionally reinvigorated, as if he'd taken a load of weight off his back. Despite the pain and discomfort from his sunburns, he fell asleep quickly and peacefully, holding Amelia close in his arms.

He woke up hours later with the amazing smell of coffee. Owen rubbed his eyes, still lying on his stomach, but propped his body on his elbows when he saw Amelia entering the room holding two steamy mugs.

"Hi," She placed the mugs on the night stand and got back into bed, leaning over to kiss her husband.

"Hey," Owen replied, staring lovingly into her eyes after she broke their kiss. "What time is it?"

"Almost ten," Amelia happily replied. "How is your back?" She didn't wait for his answer and started checking it herself. "The erythema is still very evident. Damn it, Owen." Amelia was visibly frustrated. "Ugh, I am so mad at you for not preventing this… I swear if next time you do this again, I will…"

"I won't," Owen interrupted her. "I can already foresee you reminding me to wear sunscreen in every minute of the rest of our lives."

Amelia smiled widely, noticing he really believed they would spend the rest of their lives together. She wrapped her arms around his neck, being careful trying not to hurt him even more.

"You see, caveman," She joked, kissing his temple when Owen involved her in his arms "If we lived centuries ago, you wouldn't live long enough to catch all the fish to feed me, because you wouldn't survive the environment by yourself."

"I would," Owen smiled, teasing her. "I would have you to take care of me."

"So we would be a perfect match even then?" She raised one eyebrow at him, straddling his legs.

"We are a perfect match in any circumstance, babe" Owen said with conviction, making Amelia believe it too.

He smiled at her. Never in his life would he have imagined he would ever feel so open to the world and ready to take on everything life had to offer. When he and Amelia had first started dating, he'd been ready to endure all the pain and agony he thought to be attached to all relationships.

But Amelia had taught him better. With her, he'd learned that a relationship didn't have to be that hard or that painful. Sure, they often had to work through their issues and sometimes they had disagreements, but with her, a divergence of opinions didn't feel like a sacrifice. On the contrary. Owen thought it was an important and healthy part of their marriage.

Every day, he felt closer to her. And every day, he felt like she gave more or herself. Life with Amelia was always a box of surprises, he never knew what would happen. But if there was one thing he knew he could count on was her complete devotion. Amelia was caring, selflessly affectionate and undoubtedly invested. She seemed to want to make their marriage work as much as he did, and because they both wanted it so badly, it didn't feel unnatural or hard at all. Instead, it felt comfortable and completely right.

"You know what," Owen caressed her face with his knuckles, loving how soft she felt at his touch "Why don't you choose an activity for us today? Clearly I've proven myself unfit to do that for the time being."

Amelia loved how he was capable to laugh at himself.

"You want to stay in and watch the game, don't you?" She read him like a book.

Owen was about to deny it, but he saw in her eyes that she knew it too well.

"We're playing San Francisco today, babe…" Owen justified it like that was a reasonable excuse. "It's a classic."

"Every game for you is a classic," Amelia said, rolling her eyes.

"Yeah, I have no counter argument to that," Owen accepted it graciously and kissed his wife on the neck, making her giggle with the tickles.

Amelia never knew she could be that happy on a lazy Sunday, spending all day in bed in her husband's arms, even if that meant watching a game she knew virtually nothing about. The way Owen was affected by it was contagious and soon after, she found herself cheering and vibrating too with every positive outcome. There was a lot about Owen she still didn't know and yet, she couldn't wait to find out. Because the more she knew about him, the more there was to love. They were starting a life together and while everything seemed like news, she already felt like they had always been meant to be.

Amelia wanted more, and she wanted all of it with him. Every day, she longed to take their relationship one step further. And being lazy in bed all weekend, watching the game after Owen had cooked for her and she'd taken care of his burns for him seemed like a pretty good way to start out.


	14. Hawaii Trip - Part One

Hey Guys, I am reopening this Series with the Prompts I get in my tumblr box from you guys! If you have a prompt to send, I am jordan202 on tumblr too.

This one was a prompt I've received several times and since it's a bit long, I'm gonna split it into 3-4 parts. It tells the events of Owen and Amelia's trip to Hawaii and how later they found out they were pregnant again (with the twins Robbie and Danny). I hope you all enjoy it! Happy reading : )

 **My Boys Drabbles – Hawaii Trip (Part One)**

"You brought the red bikini though, didn't you?"

Amelia looked into Owen's eyes, seeing how interested in her answer he was.

They were in a hotel lobby, checking in for their first ever family vacation. Lucas was visibly bored up on his dad's shoulders while Thomas was fast asleep in his mother's arms, his blonde head resting on her shoulder. Amelia passed the two year old to her left arm, trying to sort through the inside of her purse with her right hand.

"You should focus on finding our documents before worrying about that," She reprimanded her husband but couldn't help smiling at his excitement.

Owen had suggested they took that trip months before, and he had carefully planned everything. Amelia had had no idea where they would be going until a couple of weeks before, when Owen had filled her in on their reservation and plane tickets. Initially, Amelia had been hesitant about taking a trip to the beach with two toddlers, but seeing how excited Owen was about their getaway, she couldn't help slowly looking forward to it too.

But actually getting to Hawaii had proven much more difficult than planning for it. Amelia and Owen had arrived at the Seattle airport in time, but their flight had been delayed for more than three hours. With a two and a three year old on their watch, it was to be expected that the boys became cranky and tired trapped for hours in a very enclosed space such as an airplane.

But since everything bad could get even worse, they'd found at their arrival that one of their luggage pieces had been lost, what had caused them an even bigger headache. Amelia was already celebrating that that nightmare of a day was close to an end when Thomas threw up on her shirt, forcing her to buy a new one at the airport to avoid smelling like sour milk for the following hours.

But now, Owen stood by her side with a happy smile on his face, after that exhausting journey, talking about a bikini. Amelia wasn't sure if she should laugh or get angrier at him. She experienced a bit of both.

"What is this place, exactly?" Amelia asked, after they'd checked in and the resort busboy was guiding them to their accommodation.

"You'll see in a moment," Owen replied with an expectant smile.

Amelia understood the excitement in his voice when she took the first look at the area they were entering. Through the whole extension of a beach shore, she saw a long line of adorable bungalows. Each had a private entrance and direct access to the bluest water Amelia had ever seen.

"Oh my God," Her jaw dropped as she looked from Owen to their new room, obviously awed by the place.

She watched as her husband gave a tip to the busboy right after he'd brought in all their bags. When the employee left, Owen quickly turned around, seeming just as excited about the place as she was.

"Come look, babe, it is bigger than this room," Owen placed Lucas on the floor and held his hand, walking the boy while he guided Amelia with a hand on her back.

He opened the door to the external area, revealing a wooden floor porch with a large private view. Amelia spotted a small pool, perfect for the kids to play in, and a round tub surrounded by dwarf palms on three of its sides, allowing its occupants to stare into the infinite ocean as they relaxed in the hot water.

"Where did you find this place?" Amelia couldn't contain a smile as she noticed everything around. The hotel staff had worked extra hard on the details and it felt like a paradise location.

Lucas quickly let go of his father's hand and stormed back into the room, seeing there were some toys on a corner of the common area. Amelia followed him back inside, noticing the interior of the bungalow had a separate small room, visibly meant for kids, a shared area with a chaise longue, a comfortable couch and a giant flat screen TV and on the right corner, a spacious couple room with a comfortable king size bed right in the middle.

"The internet," Owen confessed, unable to lie about it. "I was looking for family resorts and this one was really well ranked," He confessed, going around the couch where a mini fridge was fully stocked. Owen grabbed a bottle of water and opened it before giving it to Lucas. "It looks great, doesn't it?"

"Babe, it's amazing," Amelia couldn't stop admiring everything. She placed Thomas on the huge king size bed, watching as he still napped and looked back at Owen with excitement in her eyes. "I am sure we'll have a great time in here!"

Amelia was absolutely right.

Right after they were settled in and Thomas woke up from his nap, they went to have lunch at the resort restaurant. Owen had chosen for them an all in package and quickly a waitress dressed in impeccable white clothes came to their table offering cocktails.

Amelia noticed as her husband looked from the tray to her, expectantly. She knew that even though she had never asked that of Owen, over the years he had pretty much stopped consuming alcohol, except for few occasions. At that moment, they weren't at a social event but at a family vacation and she could see why he'd hesitate.

"It's okay, babe, go ahead," Amelia took one glass from the tray, nodding her head in gratitude to the young woman serving them. As the girl walked away, she placed the glass in front of Owen, seeing their sons grabbing pieces of fruits from their plates from their highchairs. "You should definitely try those."

"Are you sure you don't mind?" Owen asked, genuinely concerned. He enjoyed having a drink but it was something he wouldn't mind compromising if it meant Amelia would be more comfortable.

"Of course not," Amelia squeezed his hand and gave him a heartfelt smile, thankful for his devotion. "One at a time, Luke!" She reprimanded her oldest son, seeing he had stuffed his mouth with several slices of watermelon.

Owen laughed and took a sip of the delicious tropical drink, watching as Lucas laughed while giving his mother watermelon wet kisses. When lunch was over, Amelia had several red stains on her white shirt from the mess Lucas had made, but she didn't seem to mind.

"You remember what happened last time you didn't listen to me about sunscreen, right?" She bossed Owen around, making him sit down on the white sand to rub the lotion on his shoulders. Amelia had already applied it on their children and put on their hats and swimwear. The boys now played on a kid's makeshift pool by the side of their tent on the beach.

"Yes, woman…" Owen chuckled, fully getting rid of his shirt to expose his shoulders to his wife. "Now where is that red bikini you promised?"

"I didn't promise anything," Amelia replied with a teasing voice, watching as Thomas and Lucas played in the sand.

"But let's pretend you did," Owen gave her a naughty smile when she went around him to apply the sunscreen on his chest. He leaned back on the sand as he splayed his hands on it, forcing Amelia to bend over his body to reach his chest. "Is it my turn to return the favor?" He inquired with malice in his eyes.

"What did they add to that cocktail?" Amelia raised her eyebrows, "Ever since we got here you sound like a seventeen year old on prom night." She added unable to hold an amused smile. Owen clearly had a lot of intentions for them and he wasn't hiding it.

"Why do you think I went through all the trouble of scheduling time off work for us, buying tickets, booking a hotel…?" Owen asked with a grin, pulling her to his lap without ceremony. He saw the smile on her face and even though her sunglasses hid her eyes, he could tell they were sparkling too. "To have lots of sex, of course." Owen answered his own question, giving his wife a squeeze on the butt.

"That was very subtle," Amelia replied with a smile, thinking how uncommon it was of Owen to behave like that in a public place. He was clearly comfortable being away from everything and she loved it. "I like you with the cocktails, babe," She smiled, predicting they would be having a lot of fun.

"Well, I like them too," He ran a hand on her hair, gently caressing her dark locks. Owen could very well imagine her hair spilled on the fluffy white pillows of their hotel bed later that day, while he loved every piece of her after the boys had gone to bed. He couldn't wait for it. "Where is my red bikini, Amelia?" He insisted, obviously turned on by the idea of seeing her wearing it.

Amelia leaned in, nipped his earlobe very suggestively, and just as Owen thought she was about to say something really dirty, he heard her whisper:

"Why, do you want to put it on?"

Owen immediately pulled away, scowling at the idea and the way she had interrupted his fantasies but at the sight of her playful face, he couldn't help laughing along with her.

"You'll see where I'm going to put it tonight," He raised an eyebrow at her, obviously not talking about the bikini and Amelia smiled in excitement, anticipating a long night of hot sex.

Soon after, another waitress passed by and gave Owen a refill for his cocktail. Telling himself that was the last one, he finished it while playing with Lucas and Thomas on the sand.

Amelia watched her family from a few feet away, laughing at the sight of Owen gently tossing a miniature version of a football around for the boys to catch it. Every time they succeed, he would chant a Seattle Seahawks song, making the two toddlers go crazy chasing after the ball.

"Momma," Thomas came running in her direction and Amelia opened both arms to welcome him, seeing as he increased his pace when he saw her welcoming gesture.

"Touchdown, Tommy," Amelia celebrated, watching as his blue eyes sparkled with joy when Thomas succeeded to run with the ball through a stretch of sand until he reached his mom.

She involved him in her arms and kissed the top of his head, looking ahead to see Owen playfully running away while Lucas tried to catch him. Quickly, Thomas got up from her legs and joined his dad and brother, running in circles near the gentle waves that crashed by the shore.

The sun was starting to set and Amelia was taken over by an indescribable sensation of peace and plenitude, watching as the three people she loved the most in the entire world had the time of their lives doing something as simple as running around. She couldn't help a fit of laughter when her husband pretended to trip and fall on the white sand, letting the boys think they'd knocked him over.

Owen had always demonstrated a great desire to be a father and Amelia knew in her heart she had always dreamed of being a mother too. At the beginning of their marriage, they'd had a lot to work on, considering the traumas of their pasts, but once they were through that, the universe had rewarded them with two beautiful, healthy sons who were the absolute center of their worlds.

Amelia couldn't believe how amazing and incredible Lucas and Thomas were. She knew that in any mother's eyes, their child was always amazing but Amelia was absolutely sure her sons were the most perfect boys in the entire planet. She wouldn't change a thing about them and they made her more complete and fulfilled than she had ever imagined she would be.

"Is it time to go?" She asked, unable to wipe a smile off her face, noticing Owen coming from the sea with one son in each arm, pretending they were too heavy to carry as a way to entertain the boys.

"The sun is about to set," Owen noticed, seeing how the orange globe illuminated the horizon. "It's about six pm which means it's eight already back home," The surgeon pointed out, knowing they were two time zones behind. "It's past these guys' bedtime," He looked from one to the other, pretending to attack them.

Thomas and Lucas were torn between laughing at their dad's playful attack or complaining about the bedtime, but after they made it back to the room and Amelia put them in the bathtub, they fell asleep before she had finished putting on their pajamas.

"The boys are exhausted," Amelia noticed, buttoning Thomas' pajama while Owen carried Lucas to bed. "They've had such a long day and played so much at the beach."

"They are probably going to sleep for long, long hours," Owen picked up Thomas when Amelia was done dressing him, looking at his wife suggestively.

"Yes," Amelia returned his dirty smile, well aware of Owen's expectation for that evening. "Look, babe, they left something for us here!"

Owen finished tucking the boys in, gently closing the white curtains to the area of their room. He walked up to the king size bed on the far right corner of the bungalow, seeing Amelia holding a giant bottle of champagne she had just taken from an ice bucket.

"They think we're honeymooning!" She chuckled, putting the green bottle back in the ice and reaching for a box of big, thick strawberries that had been placed around a crystal bowl of dark chocolate. "I already love this place," She added, delighting herself at the amazing taste of the fruit. Owen took one step forward, inspecting everything with amazement and Amelia reached out for the mini fridge, grabbing a bottle of sparkling water before turning around to the two champagne glasses that had been left by their bed. "A toast?" She demanded, already opening both bottles.

Owen already felt a bit tipsy from the three or four cocktails he'd had during the afternoon, but seeing the happiness in Amelia's face, he happily accepted the glass filled with champagne she was offering.

"Lime," Amelia bit her lower lip, knowing Owen would also be assaulted by the memory of their first kiss when he knew the flavor of the sparkling water she was drinking.

"How about we take this outside?" He asked, looking lovingly into her eyes.

Amelia knew he meant the hot tub and she had an idea, hoping to surprise him.

"Yes! But first, let me take a quick shower," She excused herself, "Don't look at me like that, I've been vomited and spilled on more than once today," She pointed out and Owen couldn't argue with that.

"I'll be in the tub waiting for you," He said with a wide smile. Too wide, Amelia noticed. He was definitely getting a bit drunk.

"I'll be right there," Amelia blew him a sensual kiss, watching as Owen pulled the green bottle of champagne from the ice and took it outside.

It was Amelia's initial plan to finally put on the red bikini Owen had been pestering her so much about. But she knew it would be too predictable. In an attempt to surprise him, Amelia finished her shower and wrapped herself in a fluffy white robe the resort had available in the spacious bathroom.

Owen was already halfway through his second glass of champagne, having refilled his wife's with sparkling water. At distance, he could hear some live music coming from the beach area, where some families were gathered for a late dinner in one of the many restaurants the Resort had. The trauma surgeon was so distracted by the soothing melody that it wasn't only until his wife stood in front of him, blocking his view to the beach that Owen noticed she'd finally made it outside.

"Is it hot in there?" She asked showing off her dimpled smile. Owen noticed her face had a mix of teasing and genuine happiness.

"It is _very_ hot," He replied suggestively, noticing the healthy look she had on her face. They'd been outside pretty much all afternoon and Amelia had a healthy glow that was evident for anyone who paid close attention.

"Good," She approved, slowly undying the knot to her robe, surprising Owen with the vision of her entirely naked body. "I plan to get very warm, very soon," She added, knowingly enticing him.

Owen's jaw slightly dropped when his wife slowly let the soft white robe slide through her shoulders, forming a pile on the floor. She stood in front of him completely naked, as if extending a very seductive invitation.

And Owen planned on entirely accepting it.

"Whoa…" He could barely manage to say anything as she slowly walked toward him, smiling with malice in her eyes. Amelia noticed how Owen's facial expression had transformed from surprised to pleased, and then fully approving. He stared at her with lustful, hungry eyes and that made her feel amazing. "You wicked woman," Owen teased, pulling her to his arms the minute she stepped foot in the bathtub.

Amelia laughed as Owen firmly involved her waist with both his arms, making her straddle him inside the water. The contact of the hot water with the exposed parts of her body made Amelia feel a rush of pleasure running through her veins. When Owen made sure she was on his top, he slid his palms on the full extension of his wife's thighs, gently squeezing them, until he cupped his hands around her buttocks without any reserve.

"So, are we toasting or what?" Amelia brushed her lips against the side of his face, obviously tempting him, and then reached for both glasses. Owen was wearing swimming trunks and only a thin layer of fabric separated their bodies.

"We definitely are," Owen unwillingly let go of her with one hand, using it to hold the champagne glass. Amelia could feel the smell of the drink in his breath, making her want to laugh. "Cheers," He smiled lazily, almost closing his eyes, "To a full week of one very naked wife and a lot of sex…a lot," Owen toasted, putting the glass away after the first sip, focusing his lips on her body instead.

Amelia twitched her head in response when his teeth playfully grabbed the column of her neck. Owen kept his strong hold on her waist, digging his now free hand through her thick mass of dark locks. He pulled away gently, eager to look at her. The sight of his wife's naked body turned him on like anything else, and the vision of the hot water gently touching her breasts as she moved in his arms made him go crazy with desire.

Owen loved his wife with all his heart and more than that, he fully admired and respected her. To him, Amelia was a big example of how life was worth living. Not only was she insanely good looking, but her positivity, inner joy and how she wanted to embrace the world in her arms made Owen fall harder for her the more time he spent in her presence.

"How was it that a military, disciplined, uptight guy like me," He asked, looking lovingly into her eyes, "fell for a wild, untamable party girl like you?" Owen smiled, seduced by her adventurous spirit.

"I have that effect on people," Amelia smiled with cocky confidence, but in reality she was flattered by his comment. Owen had made her life so much better she couldn't imagine not having him there anymore.

He smiled, identifying in her eyes how she reciprocated his desire. When her hands went around his torso, pulling him toward her so her breasts were against his chest, Owen couldn't help smiling in response. Sometimes, when he was distracted at work, he would catch a glimpse of her assessing a patient or just passing by talking to someone about a case and he couldn't help thinking about how focused and brilliant she was as a doctor. It made him smile to think that those people she interacted with at work had absolutely no idea that the talented, focused, serious surgeon who operated on people's brains during the day was an untamable beast at night. That part of Amelia was reserved only for Owen and even though he felt flattered and honored, it also made him feel very proud and possessive. She was entirely his and Owen reveled on the thought, staring into her eyes with urge and fascination.

Amelia didn't hide how much she liked sex and Owen absolutely loved that about her. She held nothing back when they were together, giving as much as she demanded back. Every time they were together, Owen felt like he had no idea what would happen next. He loved knowing that she could very well go from sweet kisses, passionately asking him to make love to her to undressing him with her bare hands before doing all sort of erotic things to him with all parts of her body.

During his life, Owen had never had preference for a specific kind. He'd dated women of all shapes, sizes and colors. But it wasn't until Amelia had walked into his life that he'd found he had a very favorite type: her.

She could easily undo him with the mere sight of her undressed figure and Owen felt like he couldn't ever get enough of her. Seeing Amelia standing naked in front of him with her gorgeous blue eyes sparkling with mirth and desire drove him to the edge. He loved the contrast of how powerful strength, fierce loyalty and loving devotion could fit into that tiny frame that was her amazing body.

And Owen loved to look at her. He felt like he could spend hours just devouring her with his eyes. Everything about Amelia made perfect sense. From her gorgeous eyes to her silken fair skin and shapely thighs. He loved to feel them wrapped around his hips as she clung to him desperately when he was fully inside of her. The way she would moan his name in pleasure when she was just about to have an orgasm was one of the best things Owen experienced in his life.

Distracted by his own delirious thoughts, Owen ran one of his hands from her bottom to her waist, playfully squeezing her hips before placing it on her flat stomach, using his thumb to rub her underwater.

"You know what," He touched his forehead to hers, seductively looking deeply into her eyes. "You are beautiful," He smiled, intensifying his look as he splayed his open palm on her lower abdomen, "but I like it better when it's bumpy in here."

Amelia couldn't help throwing her head back, heartily smiling at his confession.

"I thought we'd agree to _close the factory_ ," She reminded him of the conversation they'd had after Thomas was born. Both really liked children but raising them was much harder than they'd initially expected. But it was also much more rewarding.

"I wouldn't mind reopening it," He teased, spreading her legs apart suggestively as he leaned in to kiss her, but Amelia gently dodged the touch of his lips to her own.

"Well, we better have that conversation when you're sober," She smiled, teasing him. Owen loved their boys and she knew how the idea of having more children could be very appealing when they were fooling around in a hot tub in the middle of the Pacific, especially after a few drinks. But once they were back to their real life in Seattle, with night shifts and two very demanding toddlers, she doubted Owen would be seduced to act on that impulsive thought without really discussing it first.

"I am sober," Owen said, but his voice betrayed him completely. He could see in his wife's eyes she completely doubted him and couldn't help smiling, convinced she was right. The few rays of moonlight above their heads made Amelia's fair skin glow especially brighter. "You look like a snow flake, so white and little…" He smiled at her and when Amelia frowned in response, he raised an eyebrow, looking confused. "I could swear that sounded sexier in my head," He justified.

"I love it when you talk dirty to me," She mocked him, getting a squeeze on her thigh as response.

When Amelia ran her fingers through the back of his head, caressing him, Owen pulled her even closer, starting a trail of kisses from her cheek to her collarbone. Amelia could feel the lower part of her body immersed in the relaxing water while the upper half was exposed to the gentle breeze coming from the ocean.

At the dim light of the back porch, only a few palms trees were glowing with ground placed green lights. The distant music was involving them in an exotic, exciting atmosphere, totally different from their busy, hectic daily routine. Owen noticed when she shivered at the touch of the wind, watching as her skin responded to it. Without holding back any longer, his hand cupped one of her delicate breasts at the same time his hungry mouth searched for hers demandingly.

"You can't," Amelia closed her eyes and giggled when she heard him moan in protest at the way she had dodged his kiss again. "You've been drinking all afternoon. I'm not going to kiss you like that."

Owen pulled apart slowly, looking into her eyes to see if she was serious. Apparently, she was.

"Why?" He protested.

"Because you have alcohol on your breath and I'm not getting near it," Amelia replied like it was obvious, making up for him as she descended her hands on his back, leaning over to kiss his neck and shoulders.

"You really think it would compromise your sobriety?" He was torn between worry and frustration. Owen wanted very much to kiss her. He always did.

"I'm not taking any chances," Amelia said like it was a final decision, but smiled gently at her husband to let him know she wasn't mad or disappointed.

"I shouldn't have drank," Owen said, frustrated at himself, but when Amelia stopped him from talking, guaranteeing him she was okay with it, he added. "Are you sure there are no hard feelings?"

"Well," Amelia's eyes slowly descended from his to the middle of his thighs. Even through the water, she could clearly see the way his clothes were having a tough time containing the response of his body to their amazing contact. "I am sure there are some _hard_ feelings," She teased him, provoking Owen as she slowly ran her fingers on his stomach until she reached the hem of his swim wear. Once there, Amelia's hand involved him possessively, feeling how fully ready he was to take their playful game to the next level.

"So, let me get this straight," Owen leaned back on the tub, feeling more excited by the minute as Amelia didn't let go of his body, fully invested in giving him pleasure. "I can't kiss you on the lips, but only on the lips" He pulled her closer, making her feel how much she was making his body pulsate, "Well, if that's the case," He added mischievously as Amelia gave him a compliant nod of approval, "we'll just have to be creative, then."

As Owen finished saying the words, his eyes traveled from her blue ones to her lips, slowly descending on her body. Amelia felt the intensity of his gaze thoroughly examining her and let out a contained moan in surprise when his hungry mouth involved one of her breasts, kissing her with the same intensity as he usually kissed her lips.

"Owen…" Amelia smiled broadly, intoxicated by the sensations his tongue was causing on the most sensitive parts of her breasts, "Don't stop now," She demanded with a satisfied gasp when Owen let go of one breasts to fully devote himself to the other.

Amelia realized his true intentions when Owen repeated his so called kisses in several parts of her bodies, on purpose avoiding her lips. Initially, she'd thought it'd be fun to tempt him with the idea of not being able to kiss her, but now she realized it had become a little frustrating for her as well. She wanted more than anything to pull his head by his hair and take control of his delicious hungry mouth, but Amelia knew it wasn't the best idea considering how much he'd had to drink that day.

She was taken by surprised when Owen easily lifted her without giving any warning first, forcing her to sit on the edge of the bathtub. Amelia was about to ask what he was doing when she noticed the obvious intentions stamped on the dirty smile he had on his face.

"You said I could kiss you _anywhere_ I wanted," Owen looked into her with such intensity that Amelia felt mesmerized. He gently pushed her back, making his wife lie on the wooden floor, keeping only her feet inside the tub as he parted her legs with ease, leaning over between her thighs.

Amelia gasped when she felt the first contact of his lips touching her so intimately. Soon after, she closed her eyes and completely let go, digging her fingers through Owen's hair to pull him even closer, in an unconscious attempt to let him know how much she was enjoying what he was doing to her.

Owen felt the scratches of her nails on his scalp and smiled, lifting his head to look into her eyes with a smug expression on his face. He was sure his wife would protest at the break of contact, but as usual, she surprised him:

"I want you to do me against that palm tree over there," Amelia said with sparkle in her eyes that couldn't be mistaken for anything other than desire.

Owen noticed the challenge on her face, almost daring him to do what she'd asked. Without a second thought, he abruptly left the hot tub, lost the only piece of cloth he had left and possessively took Amelia in his arms, guiding her to her place of choice. All the while, Amelia felt his lips on her neck and cheeks, almost making it to her lips but dodging them on the last second.

"How am I not going to kiss you?" Owen held her jaw with one hand and stopped walking, pulling her close against his face. He could sense she was on the tip of her toes, trying to make up for their considerable height difference. His wife's body was slim and small and yet it caused the most powerful sensations in him. "I want you," Owen said, looking deeply into her eyes, knowing he couldn't bear to be inside her while she looked at him with those demanding eyes and not kiss her.

Improvising, Owen spun her around in his arms and splayed both his hands on the palm tree she'd mentioned, trapping her inside his embrace. He took one step towards the tree, giving Amelia no chance to escape.

But she wouldn't, even if she could. Amelia felt the intensity of Owen's drive when he bent over her, his chest against her back as he took her with one fast movement of his hips. She turned her head sideways, looking for his eyes but his teeth were closing around her shoulder, making Amelia moan and reflexive pulling apart in response. Owen was amused at her reaction, grinning with satisfaction as her arms went up and over behind her head, pulling him even closer.

He kept swaying his hips as Amelia's hand involved his and placed it on her body, without any trace of shyness. Owen enjoyed her silent request and used his experienced fingers to add to her pleasure, kissing and sucking every tiny surface of smooth skin on her back while he continued the insistent strokes of his hips against hers.

It didn't take them long to be assaulted by synchronized climaxes. Owen laughed against her face when he realized how uncomfortable it was to be standing up against a palm tree while they had sex, but neither of them seemed to care, enjoying the challenge Amelia had made.

"Are you happy now?" He turned her around in his arms one more time, involving her waist so close to his body that her breasts were crushed against the strong muscles of his chest.

"I am," Amelia replied adorably, mesmerizing him even more. Owen's smile went from mischievous and lustful to genuinely happy and satisfied. He was completely in love with her. And she drove him crazy in the best possible way. "But this is not over, right?" She asked with a wicked smile.

"Not at all," Owen replied, kissing her cheek, lamenting he couldn't kiss her lips. "There are plenty other palm trees for us to try before we leave."

"You're drunk," Amelia laughed contagiously, wrapping both her arms around his neck affectionately.

"I am not drunk," Owen refuted, smiling back at her, feeling blissfully happy. "I am just a little extra joyous."

"Since when do you use that word?" Amelia pulled apart a few inches, frowning with a smile as she looked into his eyes, laughing at his reaction.

"Ever since you talked me into having a cocktail," Owen touched his forehead to hers, closing his eyes as he breathed her in, feeling intoxicated by her amazing smell. "Are you tired, babe? Do you want to go to bed?"

"To sleep?" Amelia asked with mirth, but buried her face on the crook of his neck, attracted by his warmth.

She heard Owen's loud laughter as he guided them both inside. When Amelia realized she had dirt and tiny pieces of palm leaves on her body, she decided to take another shower, unsurprisingly being joined by Owen.

Amelia had fun trying to wash his hair and body as he did everything in his power to provoke her. Her loud giggles echoed through the bathroom as Owen captured her again and gently lifted her, pressing her body against the wall tiles as he once again joined their bodies, kissing every surface of her face as he loved her again.

Minutes later, Amelia took one last look at the kids before crashing by Owen's side on the bed, feeling completely exhausted but delightfully relaxed. She'd put on only her underwear and small tank top that barely made it to her bellybutton, loving to feel Owen's hands on her skin as he snuggled up next to her, visibly drained.

Amelia knew it had been a full day for them both, with the long journey to Hawaii and the intensity of the events, including their amazing lovemaking that evening. She was exhausted and knew Owen must have been too, especially considering he'd had his share of drinks during the entire day.

As she turned in bed to wrap one arm around her husband's stomach, Amelia noticed with a smile he had fallen asleep in a matter of seconds. Leaning over, she gently kissed him on the cheek, loving the promises they'd made for that amazing week that was starting. Unable to contain a smile of happiness, Amelia closed her eyes and embarked on a restoring sleep, grateful she was having that much fun and yet their vacation was only starting.


	15. Hawaii Trip - Part Two

Thank you everyone for the feedback! Here goes Part Two:

 **My Boys Drabbles – Hawaii Trip (Part Two)**

Owen woke up slowly, opening his eyes to meet the rays of sunlight that invaded the room. Rolling over, he felt the tingling start of a headache and cursed himself for mixing different types of drinks the night before. The surgeon stretched his arm searching for the warmth of his wife's body, but all he found was the emptiness of cold sheets.

"Hey!" Amelia looked up excitedly at him when Owen left the bathroom after brushing his teeth and splashing his face with cold water. She was sitting on the floor of the TV room with Thomas between her legs while Lucas went back and forth carrying blocks and what looked like a toy truck. "You don't look so good," She noticed, seeing Owen take his hand to his temple, slowly massaging it.

"Headache," Owen muttered, crashing on the couch beside his family. "Hey, nugget," He smiled at Thomas, getting a dimpled grin back.

"Am I allowed to laugh?" Amelia asked heartily, leaning over to touch his hand with hers.

Owen opened his eyes again and met her playful ones, unable to contain a smile. He bent forward, towards her body, and gave her a kiss on the head, regretfully realizing that he'd been so caught up with his physical discomfort that he hadn't even said hi to her. "How did you sleep?"

"Great," Amelia replied with a genuinely happy grin and Owen noticed how her face lit up as she obviously recalled the events from the previous evening. They'd had a lot of fun and he was also feeling relaxed, despite the headache. "Maybe some breakfast will help?" She suggested, feeling sorry for her husband.

"Yeah, that's a good idea," Owen sat up on the couch, capturing Lucas in his arms to give him a kiss as the boy ran from one side of the room to the other.

Amelia smiled as she watched Lucas protesting his father's kisses and got up, calling room service to order breakfast. She was sure Owen would feel a lot better after a cup of coffee.

"There's some aspirin in my bag if you want," She covered the phone speaker to prevent the hotel employee that was taking her order to hear what she was saying, "It's the small white round pill in the transparent box."

Owen nodded in agreement and put Lucas down on the floor, watching the three year old run straight to his toys. He smiled with satisfaction and made his way back to the bedroom, looking for the small bag where he knew Amelia kept personal items. He quickly found it and sorted through everything, trying to identify the aspirin among the several boxes with allergy drugs and other first aid medications their children might need on a trip.

It didn't take Owen long to find a small drug box containing little white pills. Without thinking twice, he opened the lid and took two units, dismissing the container back in the bag soon after. If Owen had taken his time reading the label, he would have noticed that instead of common aspirin, he had ingested two of his wife's birth control pills.

Twenty minutes later, Amelia and Owen had breakfast with the kids in the backyard porch, feeling blessed by the amazing view.

"You know what I've just realized?" Amelia got up from her seat and went around the table, sitting on Owen's legs as their sons played fastened in their high chairs.

"What?" Owen automatically involved her waist with one arm, holding the mug of coffee with the other.

"You are completely sober now," She smiled heartily at him, nudging his nose with hers. Amelia's expression was very meaningful as she leaned over, "That means now I can collect those kisses you owe me," She added playfully, smiling as her lips touched his, "You're due."

"Ohhh," Owen smiled back, loving to have her so close. "And I thought I'd kissed you enough last night." He teased.

"It's never enough," Amelia looked lovingly into his eyes before capturing his lips with her own.

Owen put his mug back on the table, focusing entirely on wrapping his arms around his wife, completely devoted to kissing her back. He'd had a lot of fun on the previous evening with their playful banter and sensual adventures, rejoicing in the hot sex that only Amelia could make that special. But at that moment, their kiss was much more about love than it was about sex.

"What are the plans for today?" She asked when they finally pulled apart.

"No plans," Owen replied with a grin, visibly satisfied. "Doesn't it feel great?" He asked, rejoicing the idea of being away from their routine. "We can go back to sleep if we want. We can sit around and do nothing, order the entire menu for breakfast," He smiled, genuinely happy. "Whatever you choose to do, babe, I'm in," Owen affirmed, bringing her closer and burying his face on the curve of her neck, delighted by the amazing smell of vanilla in her hair.

"Let's go to the Resort beach then," Amelia suggested. She had thoroughly enjoyed being there with the boys the day before. Even though Seattle had a lot of sea and lakes, it was often too cold to take the kids and they rarely had the time. There in Hawaii was the first time they'd taken their sons to actually see the ocean and it had become obvious on Lucas' and Thomas' faces that they'd love every second of it.

"I'll get the sunscreen," Owen smiled, "You get that bikini."

"You're hopeless," Amelia laughed, wrapping her arms around her husband's neck when he stood up, pretty much carrying her with his arms around her waist.

Later that morning, Owen and Amelia made their way from the privacy of their bungalow to the common beach area, where other families and tourists were enjoying the large stretch of sand that was accessible from all units lined down the shore. After a few minutes of settling in, Owen finally got what he'd been wishing for when Amelia took off her top and shorts, showing off her feminine shape in the provocative red bikini. Owen noticed the delicate strap tied around her neck and back and looked around trying to distract himself in order to prevent his body from having an obvious response to his own dirty thoughts in the public place.

"In five seconds you've just made this entire trip worth it," He looked at her, obviously tempted while he inspected her body.

"The kids would feel very flattered if they could understand your statement," Amelia replied ironically with a playful grin. She knew very well that Owen's main purpose to have scheduled that trip was to spend some time with her and their sons away from everything, allowing them some quality family time.

"I am sure that one day, when they're grownups, if they marry the hottest girl they know the two of them will get my point," Owen replied, looking to their boys at the same time he wrapped one arm around Thomas and kissed his head repeatedly. "But of course I did it for these two monkeys, right, buddy? Do you know how much dad loves you?" Owen delighted himself at Thomas' loud giggle when he tickled his son's belly with teasing kisses. "That's right, too much."

Amelia smiled, overwhelmed by love. She wondered if Owen realized he'd just paid her a huge compliment, but her guess was that he probably didn't. Amelia loved that about him. In the times he was the most relaxed, allowing himself to be his most authentic self, he would usually say things that could sweep her off her feet without even intending to.

"Who wants to go find a starfish?" Owen asked, seeing the excited look on Lucas' face, exactly what he'd aimed for.

"Momma, let's go find a starfish," Lucas pleaded, grinning happily at Amelia.

She couldn't say no and let Lucas hold her by the hand, following his dad and Thomas to the sea. Amelia noticed how the water was nearly transparent, letting them see the white sand at the bottom of the ocean even when they were already a few feet into the water.

"Momma, sit," Thomas grabbed her hand and pulled Amelia down, allowing him to look straight into her eyes. She did as told, seeing the gentle waves barely made it to Thomas' chubby thighs, letting her know they were at a safe depth. Her sons looked very happy to be inside the water, jumping excitedly while noticing everything around them.

"Look, Tom," Amelia collected a tiny orange shell from the sand beneath her feet, noticing there were several spread around. "Can you find five of those? Help your brother find them, Luke."

Amelia knew Thomas had recently learned how to count to ten and he proudly did as suggested, drowning his small hands to the bottom of the sea in search of the colorful shells. Amelia loved how her youngest son was always craving knowledge and asking questions about everything. Even though they stimulated the boys quite a lot, Amelia knew she and Owen were careful not to overdo it, allowing their kids to discover the world and learn things as naturally as possible. But Thomas seemed to genuinely be interested in events and facts, much more than any ordinary kid his age, and a while back they'd come to notice how comfortable their youngest was when he received a logical explanation that made sense in his mind.

Soon after, she heard Lucas' loud laughter as the three year old tried to run through the gentle waves when his dad went underwater pretending to be a shark. Amelia smiled as Lucas splashed water around them, almost making her drop the five shells Thomas had collected from the sand.

She was so distracted laughing at Owen's act and their sons' response that Amelia didn't notice the few pair of eyes fixated on her, but it didn't go unnoticed to Owen. When his hearty smile became a grumpy frown, for the first time that day, Amelia asked what was wrong. After hearing his dismissive response, she replied:

"Are you sure? You look a bit angry," Amelia furrowed her eyebrows questioningly.

"I'm still not better from that headache," Owen said as an excuse, but it wasn't a lie.

"Okay…" Amelia said defensively, wondering what could have made him change his mood in a matter of minutes. "Do you want go someplace else? I saw in the room a flyer about an aquarium a few miles from the Resort. Do you want to take the boys there for the afternoon? Maybe when they wake up from their nap?" Amelia suggested, knowing their kids would love it. "We can have lunch on our deck to save some time," She tried to convince Owen, excited about the idea. "At the Aquarium they have turtles, stingrays and actual, big, giant sharks!" She pretended to bite Lucas, seeing how convinced her eldest son already was.

"Sounds like a great idea," Owen smiled, happy to have an excuse to leave the beach.

As they were gathering their belongings that had been left on the dry sand, Amelia noticed how Owen wrapped a towel around her shoulders, even though she was still helping Thomas put his clothes back on.

"Oh…" Amelia felt it finally clicking, realizing what her husband's mood was about. "You got to be kidding me, Owen!" She laughed, amused.

"What?" He asked trying to sound innocent, but his tone was undeniably sharp.

"You asked for _this_ ," She smiled, provoking him, pointing to her body and the small red bikini she was wearing. On purpose, Amelia let the towel slide from her shoulders, realizing belatedly how some of the men around them would linger their eyes on her for a few seconds more than it was appropriate.

"I don't have a problem with your clothes," Owen lied, unable to pretend he was in a good mood.

"I am sure you don't," Amelia said with a grin, utterly amused at how annoyed he was. She knew that even though Owen didn't act like a crazy jealous person, he was very possessive of her and it bothered him to the bone to find other men staring at his wife in that very obvious way. "So I can walk back to our room like this?" She teased, knowing he was probably boiling with frustration on the inside. It wasn't a long walk to their bungalow, but they'd pass by a lot of people on the way.

"If you want to, yeah," Owen tried to sound like it didn't matter but the way he avoided eye contact with her showed how much he was lying.

Amelia smiled, having more fun than she'd predicted and helped Lucas put on his flip flops before finally putting on her shorts in order to avoid adding to Owen's headache. When they finally made it to their room, she turned on a cartoon channel on the tv for Thomas and Lucas and the minute Owen grabbed the phone to order room service she wrapped her arms around his waist from behind, kissing his bare back before resting her head against the warmth of his skin.

Owen smiled, placing his free arm right above hers as he intertwined their fingers, knowing very well that was Amelia's way of saying she was sorry for having teased him before, without any of them needing to admit to anything. When he finally hung up the phone, Owen turned around inside her embrace, involving her in his arms too. He playfully led her to the couch, sitting between their sons.

Soon after, they had a delicious meal at the back porch table, enjoying the amazing view of the ocean and the relaxing sounds of the waves gently crashing against the wooden walls. It was as peaceful as they could ever expect. Owen couldn't help smiling when his eyes found the palm tree against which he'd made love to his wife the previous night. Their porch had a long deck but it was completely private because the wooden walls and palm trees did a good job hiding the interior of the place, allowing only the occupants to stare into the ocean. He felt thankful for privacy, otherwise he wouldn't have been able to fool around with Amelia outside like they already had.

After the busy morning and delightful lunch, the peace and privacy of the bungalow made Lucas and Thomas quickly fall asleep for their routine afternoon nap. Amelia had just closed the curtains to the boys' room area when she felt strong arms wrapping around her body as a hungry mouth claimed her own. She smiled against Owen's kiss, fully embarking on it as his fast hands promptly traveled to her neck, slowly pulling the strap on her bikini.

Amelia was still wearing only shorts over her beach wear so, when Owen undid the knot behind her neck, the red top quickly fell to the ground, leaving her naked from the waist up.

"Now _that_ is a better view," He teased, taking a step back to stare at his wife.

"You're very dirty," Amelia replied, feeling instantly turned on as his large hand easily covered one of her breasts.

"It wasn't a lie when I said I expected you to be very naked," Owen gave her his most adorable smile, leaning over for a kiss.

He spun Amelia around in his arms, running his hand from her breast to splay it on her stomach as he kept on kissing her, gently walking his wife to the deck outside. Amelia lifted her hands to involve his neck, feeling the response of his body pressing against her lower back as Owen pulled her harder against his chest.

"I thought," She gasped between his kisses, feeling Owen's lips suck hers before his tongue invaded her mouth, enticing her, "you'd want to get some rest before we go out."

"We can sleep later," Owen moaned, lying her down on one of the pool lounge chairs at the private deck. A relaxing breeze was blowing from the ocean, easing the heat.

"Are you going to let me?" Amelia pulled away smiling as her husband covered her body with his, parting her legs with his muscular thigh. "Sleep, I mean?"

Owen kissed her neck, tracing a path all the way to her breasts.

"Probably not," He replied, smiling when their eyes met.

Amelia felt his body relaxing when he lay down on top of her, using the space between her legs to support his hips, preventing his whole weight to crush her.

"What's with guys and breasts?" She wondered out loud, feeling Owen's two day stubble brushing on her skin as he rested the side of his head beneath her chin, obviously loving being close to her body.

"What do you mean?" Owen looked up to look into her eyes, feeling her fingers gently stroking his hair in a loving caress.

"Men are obsessed with them," Amelia said, almost outraged. Owen heard her delicious chuckle as she added, "It's like you're fascinated with a pair, like they're the most erotic thing in the world."

Owen purposefully looked from her eyes to her perky breasts, thoroughly examining them.

"Well, they sure are," He added, involving one with his hand as his thumb brushed its side affectionately at the same time he looked back at his wife.

"They're for feeding," Amelia added with a teasing smile, feeling turned on by the sensations his caresses were causing on her body.

"Yeah, but they're like the opening act of the show," He replied lasciviously, looking from her breasts to her eyes with a wicked smile. "It's the first thing a guy notices when he looks at a girl and it's awesome when they're staring back."

"You're a pig," Amelia joked, unable to hold a loud laughter. Owen was usually very contained but he could be so dirty sometimes that it never failed to surprise or amuse her. "So my boobs were the first thing you noticed when you saw me for the first time?"

"Of course not," Owen replied, pretending to be offended by her implication. When Amelia thought he was going to say something sweet to prove her wrong, he added "You were wearing scrubs and a lab coat, so I couldn't. But I sure as hell imagined them."

She couldn't contain a fit of laughter and pulled him closer, kissing his lips with a delighted smile.

"Ok, let's be serious now," Owen started, with a look of mischief so flagrant that it was obvious he wasn't being serious at all. "Your breasts weren't the first thing I noticed about you," He touched his forehead to hers, looking into her eyes with a smile of adoration. "It was your legs."

"My legs?" Amelia played his game, letting out a loud chuckle in response. She kept on caressing his head, digging her fingers through the strawberry blonde locks on the back of his neck, gently scratching him.

"Absolutely," Owen said as if that was very obvious. "From the first moment I saw you, I imagined how they'd feel wrapped around my hips," He teased, knowing that wasn't exactly true. He had indeed imagined that, but only when he'd started seeing Amelia _that_ way, after he'd already hired her and made her department head while he was still the chief of surgery.

"You're lying," Amelia smiled, not hiding how much fun she was having.

"Okay, babe," Owen sighed with fake impatience and rolled his eyes playfully. "The first thing I noticed about you were your eyes and how beautiful and expressive they were," He went on saying it like it was a cheesy and predictable line, when in fact he was telling the truth, making his wife giggle with the intensity of his pretense. "When you left, I kept thinking about how easily I could lose myself in those eyes if I wasn't careful," He added, smiling devotedly and Amelia noticed he really meant what he'd just said.

"And were you careful?" She asked, with the widest smile, unknowingly warming his heart with the sight of her dimples.

"I wasn't, no," Owen leaned over and kissed her, holding her chin between his thumb and finger to bring her face up, "Up to this day, I'm still completely lost" he added, smiling heartily, completely mesmerized at her beauty. "And to be honest, I really don't want to be found," He finished, making Amelia smile with every emotion she could possibly feel.

"You should write a poetry book," Amelia teased, uncomfortable at how emotional she was getting. Teasing and bantering were always the safest way to go when she didn't want to lose control over her feelings, even though over the years she'd come to feel completely safe around Owen. He was the only one she trusted when she was at her most vulnerable state.

"Oh, see?" Owen replied in mocking outrage, "Even when I try to be romantic you make fun of me," He added, frowning at her, "I'm going back to the boobs, then," He decided, burying his face in her chest as a new trail of kisses began.

Amelia couldn't contain a heartfelt giggle, realizing she was the happiest she had ever been. No one could make her laugh and feel so good about herself as Owen could. It was true he brought out the best in her. But more than that, her husband had given her the gift of making her love the person she was for the first time in her life, because he had loved her first, when even she hadn't.

"I'm really in love with this place," Amelia confessed, discreetly pouting at the idea of going back. "I don't want to leave, ever." She decided.

"We can take some things with us back to Seattle. Maybe we should make this a rule at home," Owen suggested, looking from her bare chest to his. "No shirts allowed inside the house," He smiled mischievously, making her laugh, "Hawaiian style."

"I doubt you'd suggest that if we had a girl in the house," Amelia said with a smug smile, thinking back about earlier that day at the beach and how jealous Owen had been with he'd caught other men staring at her body.

"You know," Owen's expression slowly changed from playful to distant, at the same time he kept a dreamy smile on his face, "I had a dream about that a couple of nights ago."

"About what?" Amelia unintentionally furrowed an eyebrow, curious.

"About a daughter," Owen replied excitedly. Amelia noticed how his eyes sparkled, like they were overwhelmed with love. "She was so beautiful, babe… And she had your smile and my hair," He looked into Amelia's eyes, "The moment I first laid eyes on her I knew I was completely in love and it was like she knew it, you know?" He let out a chuckle, nodding his head in denial. "She used that to get what she wanted from me. I don't remember the details much but I remember she smiled a lot and told me she'd take a while, but someday she'd come," Owen shook his head, trying to focus back on reality. "I know we agreed not to have any more children but…" He tilted his head looking at her with an adorable smile, "If _someday_ we change our minds, I really do hope we get to have a daughter."

"That's actually really sweet," Amelia let out a distracted sigh, amazed at the idea and Owen's description of his dream. Her gentle strokes on the back of his head became a fierce hold when Amelia forced him to look into her eyes and added, "Our boys are so lucky to have you as their dad," She couldn't help smiling when she saw the response on his face. "Having them was the best decision we've ever made," She wrapped her arms around Owen's neck, bringing him close as she slid down on the chair, on purpose lying beneath him. It never failed to catch her attention how her husband was a devoted father. He did a lot of things for and with the boys and not out of obligation, but because he genuinely liked their presence and playing a vital role in their lives. "You take such good care of them… of all of us," Amelia added, brushing her lips against her husband's, thinking how safe and loved he always made her feel.

Owen looked at her and smiled full heartedly at her confession. Having a wife and kids had always been his biggest dream and he didn't regret every decision he'd ever made in his life one bit, because even though the path had been rough at times, it ultimately had led him to the arms of the most amazing woman he had ever known.

Holding her face between his hands, Owen kissed her lips repeatedly, thoroughly enjoying the quiet, intimate moment they were finally able to share. He lost track of time as they lay there together, in a mess of wrapped arms and legs, but he could tell he'd dozed off when moments later he felt Amelia slowly shifting from beneath him, saying she was going to put on some clothes and wake up the boys so they could go to the Aquarium.

Thomas and Lucas visibly enjoyed every moment of their outing. Lucas was particularly excited about the shark tank and after many pictures and excited laughs, Amelia found themselves leaving the gift shop of the Aquarium with two giant plush animals, one of each color.

They had dinner at one of the Resort restaurants and after the overwhelming day, it wasn't surprising that both their sons started to give out signs of how tired they were from all the activities of the day.

"I need to go potty," Lucas said from his seat at the restaurant table.

Amelia looked to her plate, seeing she was almost done and was about to get up to take him when she heard her son's protest.

"No, momma, I want dad to take me," He frowned. "I have to go to the boys restroom, you can't go in there" He insisted.

Amelia rolled her eyes playfully and looked at Owen, passing the task to him. Lucas had just started preschool a while back and on the first day back home he'd questioned his parents as to why their house didn't have separate bathrooms like his school did.

"You should take Tommy too," Amelia suggested as Owen got up with Lucas. The two year old had recently abandoned the diapers but they still had to constantly ask him if he needed to use the toilet, otherwise he'd usually hold it until the very last minute.

Owen helped his youngest son get out of the highchair and holding the hand of each boy, he made his way to the restroom. Seeing everyone was pretty much done with their meals, Amelia took the last sip of her alcohol-free cocktail and discreetly signaled at the restaurant employees, asking for the check.

To her surprise, less than a minute later a formally dressed waiter came from the bar holding a tray with an exact copy of Amelia's drink on it, gently placing the glass at her table.

"Oh, I didn't order a refill," Amelia smiled gently, supposing they had been confused at her request.

"Compliment of the gentleman at the bar," The waiter pointed with his eyes, obviously satisfied with his service. "He also already took care of your check, ma'am, that's why we didn't bring it to you."

"What?" Amelia let out a surprised chuckle, turning around in her chair. Her eyes searched the room, through the several tables where other families quietly enjoyed their dinner and fell on a man sitting on a high stool by the bar.

The minute he noticed Amelia's eyes were on him he gently nodded with a charming smile, holding his glass as if toasting with her. Amelia frowned heavily, trying to figure where she'd see him before, because he looked a little familiar.

It was obvious he wasn't there on vacation, but on business, because he had on a neatly cut suit, what looked like a very expensive silver wrist watch and his face was clean and recently shaved. In normal circumstances, Amelia would find him very attractive, with his magnetic presence and starry eyes. But it wasn't until the man got up from his seat and took firm strides in her direction that she realized he was one of the men who'd been staring at her at the beach earlier that day.

"The mysterious red lady," The stranger said with a corner smile, impressing Amelia with his rich, deep voice. It became clear by his comment that he had indeed been admiring her earlier that day in the red outfit. "I was wondering if you were real."

"Real?" Amelia laughed nervously, surprised by the entire situation. Who was that man? She had no idea but if there was one thing that she was sure of were his obvious intentions.

"I almost didn't believe my eyes when I saw you sitting here having dinner alone," He kept on looking intensely into her eyes and Amelia couldn't help noticing he was really good at flirting. The man had one hand inside his pocket, casually looking at her.

"I am not alone," She smiled formally, trying to be polite. Amelia had no idea how to feel about a tall, dark stranger obviously hitting on her but even though she really wasn't interested, the neurosurgeon couldn't help being fascinated at the fact that that attractive man was obviously interested in her.

Back in the day, Amelia had been an experienced player in seduction games and it was no secret that she loved to flirt, sometimes enjoying more the thrill of the chase than the actual hookup. But ever since she'd become a wife and mom, she'd rarely thought about it, feeling comfortable with the idea that those days were behind her. And yet, seeing how drawn to her that stranger obviously was made her find out that being an attractive, desirable woman was something that really added to her self esteem.

"A woman like you only is alone if she wishes to be," The man said, taking his square shaped glass to his lips. Amelia noticed the amber liquid he was drinking, realizing it was probably scotch. A very expensive one, it seemed.

"I am flattered by your words, but," Amelia got up, returning the drink she'd been given to the hands of the man who'd paid for it, on purpose flashing her wedding ring. "I am a mom." She said, torn between getting out of there and staying. After all, she hadn't done anything wrong. But Amelia knew that if Owen came back and saw another man obviously hitting on her, she'd never hear the end of it.

"What a lovely coincidence," The stranger kept staring at her with his seductive grayish eyes. "I'm a dad too." He shared, never breaking eye contact with her.

"My sons are here in the restaurant with _my husband_ ," She reinforced, determined to get out of that conversation. Flattering as the man may be, she wasn't interested. The idea of being with someone who wasn't Owen had never crossed her mind and it still wasn't.

"Mine are in LA with my wife," He replied charmingly, talking as if that was no obstacle to luring someone into his charms. "I am not offering you a family," The guy said, without false arguments. "All I am saying is we can have some fun together, if you want to," putting one hand in the inside pocket of his suit, the guy took out a black card, printed with designed gold letters. "I will be in town for two more days on business," He informed, flipping the card in his hands with experienced ease. "I'm at the presidential suite if you change your mind," The man discreetly winked at her, looking from her eyes to her lips, very suggestively, handing her the business card. Amelia automatically took it, noticing it said the guy was CEO of a huge flying company. She figured the move was made to impress her, but honestly, she didn't care. Even though her female ego was swollen with pride, she wasn't the least bit interested. "A woman like you deserves the very best…" He smugly said, with flagrant arrogance, referring to himself and his wealth.

"I already have it," Amelia replied, satisfied to see him walk away; even though it was clear on his face he didn't believe her one bit.

It wasn't until Amelia heard her sons' excited voices that she realized they were back from the restroom.

"Who was that?" Owen asked from behind her back, seeing the stranger walking away.

"No one," Amelia turned around and smiled at him, noticing the doubtful expression on his face.

Owen shrugged, trying not to see much into things but when he asked the waiter for the bill and the man said it had already been taken care of, he looked conspicuously at Amelia. They'd left their belongings at their bungalow before going to dinner and the only thing they had on them was Owen's wallet, which was safely kept in his back pocket. There was no way Amelia could have paid for anything because she didn't have a card or cash with her.

He looked at his wife with a thousand questions in his eyes and without hesitation, Amelia told him the entire truth, knowing he wouldn't like it one bit. But she had no reason to lie to her husband.

"You let some random guy _pay_ for your dinner?" Owen asked torn between shock and anger, the minute they stepped foot inside the privacy of their room. Amelia knew his initial silence at the restaurant had been a foreshadow for what was about to happen now that they were alone. "Are you serious?"

The neurosurgeon let out a heavy sigh, wondering how in the world she would explain it to her husband without making the situation even worse.

"I had no choice," Amelia chose the simplest answer, fighting the urge to laugh at Owen's outraged expression. She knew very well his male pride wouldn't bear the idea of another man "providing" for his family. And Owen was very proud.

"You had no choice?" He repeated with a scorn, wondering what the hell was going on in her mind to allow something that absurd. "How is that even possible?" He folded his arms in front of his body, trying to sound emotionally detached but failing miserably.

"I asked for the bill and the waiter told me that guy had already paid for it," She replied, impatiently. "What was I supposed to do? You weren't there with the wallet to…"

"So it's my fault that I wasn't there?" Owen interrupted her with incredulity in his eyes.

"I didn't say that," Amelia rolled her eyes, sighing heavily, hoping her husband wasn't looking for an excuse to pick a fight. "Owen, don't read too much into this, please," She asked, trying to be gentle. "I already told you exactly what happened."

"I'm not reading into anything, Amelia. You said it yourself, the guy was offering you _some fun_ ," He replied, already unable to hide how jealous he was. "You have to be really naïve to believe he wasn't talking about an affair."

"Maybe he wanted me to knit with him," She suggested, determined to make him loosen up. "Who knows, he might be in need of a new sweater… Or maybe his idea of fun would be crafting a scrapbook…"

"Or maybe," Owen replied impatiently, interrupting her, "He was trying to get into your pants, even though you have a freaking ring on your finger."

"Yes," She let out a loud chuckle, fully understanding why he was so worked up about the situation. If Owen had been hit on by a woman even after he'd told her that he was married, she would be out of her mind too. It was incredibly disrespectful and she could see why it bothered him. "But he did tell me which room he's staying at," She added, with logic. "Perhaps this way we know where to send the money to refund dinner," Amelia suggested, trying to see the situation rationally because Owen visibly couldn't.

He let out a heavy sigh of impatience in response and Amelia looked from him to their kids, playing with their stuffed plush sharks in front of the TV. She couldn't help smiling at the scene.

"We're having such a great time here," She looked at Owen, using her best convincing eyes to make him see things clearly, "please, let's not fight about this."

"I don't want to fight," Owen replied honestly. "But that guy was hitting on you! I can't just smile and pretend I'm happy about it."

"Yeah," She took one step in his direction, watching him run one hand through his hair, obviously frustrated. "He made me a very indecent proposal," Amelia stated, knowing there was no point denying it. "But instead of focusing on that, how about we focus on the fact that I turned him down?" She raised her eyebrows when their eyes met, slowing involving his waist with her arms.

Owen was visibly struggling, but he knew in his heart she was completely right.

"Fine…" He finally caved, still hating the idea of another man flirting with his wife and mother of his children. But the fact that she'd told him everything and the sincerity in her eyes as she did it made Owen sure he had no reason to feel threatened. He was always saying they were a team and Amelia had just proved him right.

"How about you put the boys to bed and read them a story," She suggested, knowing it would calm him down. "And when you're done, you can meet me in the shower?" Amelia raised both eyebrows and looked very suggestively from his lips to his lower body, openly flirting.

Owen felt a smile assaulting him and chuckled in response, unable to stay mad at the situation any longer. Amelia kissed his jaw as she cupped his butt with her hands, letting her intentions for later be very clear. Afterwards, she gave each of her sons a kiss goodnight and went to her own room while Owen took care of the kids.

Still immersed on the thoughts about that full day they'd had, Amelia opened her bag and threw her earrings inside of it, too lazy to put them in a proper case. She looked at the clock, seeing it was past the hour in which she usually took her birth control pill. But when Amelia opened the small box and counted the units, she frowned in response, realizing there were fewer than she'd thought to have brought.

Too impatient to dwell on that, she threw the flask back in the bag, assuming she'd probably taken her daily pill before dinner. It was what she usually did, anyway. Sometimes, her routine obligations were done so automatically that she forgot about them. It wouldn't be the first time.

The thoughts of the pill and birth control had quickly vanished from her mind as Amelia heard Owen's voice reading a book to their kids coming from the other room. Smiling with anticipation, she threw aside all her belongings and entered the bathroom, concentrating entirely on the shower she wanted to share with her husband before the full night of lovemaking they'd have ahead of them.


	16. Hawaii Trip - Part Three

Hey guys, I've finished the final part to this story but it was too long, so I had to split into two chapters. Here goes the third chapter!

 **My Boys Drabbles – Hawaii Trip (Part Three)**

"So basically I had to get a central line in the elevator because the drain…" Owen stopped his excited tale about how the ER had been busy that day. "Are you okay?" He asked, noticing the green look on his wife's face.

"I am so nauseous," Amelia replied, feeling sweat accumulating on her forehead. "I wish I would just throw up so this awful sensation would pass but I can't," She confided, knowing she'd been like that for the past four days. "You were feeling like that when we came back home, weren't you?"

"Yeah," Owen remembered with a sympathetic look. They'd been back from their trip to Hawaii almost a month before and on the first few days of being at home he'd been down with a severe case of gastroenteritis, almost requiring IV fluids to treat the subsequent dehydration he'd been through. "Do you think you have it now?" He frowned, thinking about the possibility. His disease had most likely been caused by a virus but it was unlikely Amelia would be sick that much longer if they'd both had been exposed at the same time. Unless, of course, he'd passed it on to her.

"I hope the boys don't catch it," Amelia pleaded to the universe, folding her arms on the kitchen balcony and then hiding her face in the middle of them. It was bad enough as it was and if the kids got sick, it would be a complete nightmare.

"They look fine to me," Owen looked from his ill wife sitting on the high stools between the living room and the kitchen, to his sons playing with superhero figures on a playing mat next to the couch. The trauma surgeon kept on slicing the chicken breast he was preparing for dinner and the lack of reply from his wife made him realize she really didn't seem to be doing very well. "Babe, do you want to take something?" He dropped the chicken in the bowl again, washing his hands and afterwards using a washcloth to dry them. "You don't look good at all," He noticed as he made Amelia look up to inspect her face.

"It's fine, I just need to be real quiet so it will pass," She said, trying to sound convincing. The last thing she wanted was to take medication, in fear that the drug in her empty stomach might add to the discomfort.

"Do you want to lie down?" Owen asked, seeing she was feeling so ill that all she could do was nod affirmatively in response. "Ok, let's get you to bed," He wrapped his arms around her, checking to see if Amelia was feverish, but she felt normal at his touch.

That evening, Owen took care of dinner and the boys, seeing as Amelia was unfit to do anything. But when the symptom remained for two more days, Owen became convinced she should get checked at the hospital.

"You gave me the Hawaii bug," Amelia accused, almost a week after she had first started feeling sick. As she took off her shirt to put on a pair of pajamas, Owen noticed she looked thinner, probably because she wasn't eating as she usually did.

"I didn't give you anything," Owen rolled his eyes impatiently at her stubbornness. "It's not the stomach flu, Amelia, you've been feeling strictly nauseous and only threw up a couple of times. There was no fever, no rash, no diarrhea," He pointed out, well aware she knew he made perfect sense. "You should get an ultrasound, you could have something on your gallbladder," Owen wisely remembered, considering stones.

"It doesn't get any worse after I eat," She refuted him.

"You're _not_ eating," Owen complained, losing his last bit of patience. "You look awful. Pale like a ghost and I can see your twelve ribs from here," He exaggerated, determined to convince her to get properly checked out. Amelia could be so annoying sometimes and for no reason. He didn't like butting heads with her, but he was seriously starting to get worried.

"Are you trying to be romantic?" Amelia asked with a scornful face, feeling another wave of nausea assaulting her. "Because it's not working!"

"I am trying to make sure my children don't grow up motherless," Owen played low, knowing those words would affect her. He had to convince her and he would do whatever it took to make his wife listen.

"Well, I am sure that if I died, you would remarry in a heartbeat!" Amelia raised her voice, pulling the covers from him, angry and upset. She wasn't sure what enraged her the most at that moment, feeling sick all the time or Owen.

"I would," Owen provoked her, knowing she was irritated. "The only thing I'd make sure was that she wasn't a stubborn evil bat like you."

"Well good luck, I hope she is as pretty as she is docile, because that is what it takes for putting up with you always wanting to have the last word on everything."

"Are you saying I'm bossy?" Owen scoffed, seeing she still had her back turned to him. "You're bossy!"

"I am saying you're an ass."

"And you look like that witch from Oz." Owen said playfully, but he was angry she was being so difficult. "Your entire face looks green."

The lack of a witty comeback from Amelia made Owen realize she'd reached her limit. She never let him get away with winning a discussion and the fact she had dropped out of their offense exchanges alerted him she wasn't doing well at all.

"Hey…" Owen laid next to her, wrapping one arm around her shoulder as he felt her gentle sniff. "I was just kidding, babe…" Owen tried desperately to fix what had happened when he noticed the tears accumulating in her eyes. Sometimes they would tease each other but Amelia had never taken it that seriously, because she knew none of what they said was true. "You're going to be okay!"

"No, I'm not going to be anything!" Amelia cried out loud. "I'm going to die from this infection and you're going to marry someone else…" She let out a loud sob and started to cry like Thomas did when he was sleep deprived.

"No, no, I am not!" Owen wrapped his arms around her, shocked at her emotional liability. Amelia never reacted like that. He expected her to be mean, to try to seduce him into admitting she had won the fight or to even distract him with sex, but never would he expect her to break down in his arms like an insecure teenage girl. "I was just trying to mess with you… And you don't have an infection," He smiled as he looked deeply into her eyes, visibly amused.

"I do," She nodded affirmatively between tears, sobbing uncontrollably. "I can't stand feeling this much nausea anymore, I don't know what's wrong with me and I can't stop crying!" She complained, unable to pull herself together ever since the first tear had fallen. Owen noticed her red puffy eyes and tried to comfort her, but Amelia buried her face between his neck and shoulder, obviously embarrassed at her lack of self control.

Owen couldn't contain a heartfelt laugh when he realized she wasn't teasing him, but actually freaking out.

"You're fine, babe," He dried the tears on her adorable face with his thumb, stroking her hair. "You're just a little nauseous. There's no need to act worse than when you're having your period…" He looked sympathetically at her, thinking how Amelia's cycle moods had pretty much disappeared ever since she'd started the pill, right after their second child. The only time he'd seen her act worse had been a couple of years before, when Thomas was on the way. But of course the situation was entirely different. "Unless…" Owen thought out loud, feeling an epiphany clicking in his mind. "Amelia, are you pregnant?"

"What?" She looked up at him like he'd just told a big joke, looking almost offended. "Of course not!"

"Are you sure?" Owen raised an eyebrow. Now that he thought about it, it made perfect sense. How could he not have thought about it sooner? "The only times you've been this moody and emotionally messy were during your pregnancies."

"I get like that every time I'm about to menstruate," She corrected him, defensively.

"Yeah but ever since you've started taking the pill they've stopped," He reminded her. "And you're never this freaked out… The only times I saw you crying about anything were when you were pregnant with the boys," Owen wisely remembered.

"But I am not pregnant," Amelia stated, as if wishing would make it true. "I can't be, right?" She looked at her husband, craving for support. "I mean, I religiously take the pill, every day."

"Yeah, you do," Owen agreed with a head nod, knowing the chances of getting pregnant in that situation was extremely low. "But it would explain the nausea, wouldn't it?" He tried to present the scenario as gently as possible, knowing she was about to freak out.

"I have a stomach bug," Amelia insisted, knowing she had crossed the line of irrationality long before and was in complete denial. She didn't want to be pregnant but she also didn't think it was the likeliest possibility. "Babies give you morning sickness. I have all day, every freaking day, sickness," She pointed out.

"But even when you don't eat you still feel nauseous," Owen was trying his best not to smile. The unexpected possibility of another baby enchanted him, even though they'd once agreed they wouldn't have any more children.

"I can't be pregnant, Owen, nothing in my body has changed," Amelia affirmed, very decisively.

"Let me see your boobs," He suggested with sheer practicality.

"What? Amelia sat up on the bed, frowning at him.

"I know them better than anyone and if they're bigger than usual, I'll be able to tell," He said trying not to look too proud at the notion.

"That can't be accurate," Amelia sighed, but unbuttoned her shirt anyway, "And also I should be on my period, so I expect them to be bigger," She informed him.

When Amelia realized Owen was laid down hypnotically staring at her breasts instead of doing what he'd suggested with rationality, she abruptly closed her pajama top again, letting out a heavy sigh with frustration.

"Hey!" Owen playfully protested at her move, with a dirty smile on his face.

"You're of no use," Amelia rolled her eyes, frustrated at the constant physical discomfort she was experiencing and lied down again, pulling the covers with a scowl of distress.

"Let me get you checked out tomorrow," Owen's tone changed from playful to sweet. "Seriously, babe… I'm worried about you." He reached out for her hand, holding it firmly.

"Fine," Amelia gave in, reluctantly. She knew he was probably right but she was afraid of what they might find out.

"I can't believe we're having another baby…" Owen added after a few minutes, idly staring at the ceiling with a dreamy look on his face. "Do you think it could be a girl this time? Nah, it doesn't matter, really, I'll love him or her either way."

"I am _not_ pregnant," Amelia reinforced impatiently. She rolled over on the bed and stared deeply into her husband's eyes. He looked like a child who'd just been told Christmas had come earlier. "Owen, we can't have another baby. We can barely manage two kids. How can you possibly consider a third? Are you insane?"

"Well, if it's already happened there is nothing much we can do about it other than celebrate it," He replied with mischief. They'd talked about babies and pregnancies a lot of times before, usually when they lying together in bed, and Owen knew Amelia would never consider getting rid of a baby she was carrying.

"I swear to God if you got me pregnant again…" Amelia threatened idly, hesitantly considering that possibility. How could Owen be so carelessly happy about that? They'd previously discussed and agreed that having more children was an insane idea considering their busy lives and routine.

"That's how good I am," He gloated.

"Owen…" Amelia rolled her eyes. She was desperate and growing more anxious by the minute. They'd just gotten back to having full nights of sleep and not worrying about diapers anymore. It was crazy to think they'd have to start all over again.

"Yeah, babe, who is your daddy?" He asked with a dirty smile on his face. Amelia tried to look judgingly at him, but failed miserably. And when Owen heard her laughter he hugged her tightly, one more time giving her reassurance that no matter what happened, he knew they'd be alright.

.

The following morning, the minute they arrived at work Owen grabbed his wife's hand to prevent her from escaping. Amelia was just telling him how she immediately needed to go upstairs to start her day in the OR when Owen sat her down in the gurney of an empty exam room, taking a simple IV kit from one of the drawers.

"That's it," Owen took off his gloves and put her blood samples in his white coat pocket. "How do you want to do this? Should I take it myself or do you want to come?"

"Do you seriously think I could work while you find out if we need to sell our body parts to save up for college funds?" She exaggerated, following him to the lab. "What are we going to do if it's positive, Owen? We can't have another child…"

"Technically, we can…" Owen said carefully, afraid she'd flip.

"Well, we shouldn't!" Amelia insisted, watching him send in lab orders through the tablet as he handed in blood samples. "How long until you get these results back to us?" She asked the technician.

"Hm, if you wait around I can get it for you in a few minutes," The young man said with a formal smile.

Amelia agreed with a head nod and paced back and forth nervously, wondering how on Earth Owen could sit on a chair nearby, looking so calm and relaxed. She wasn't feeling as uncomfortable as the day before after taking a pill to avoid throwing up, but the nausea still hadn't given her a break.

About fifteen minutes later the technician handed out the printed lab exams and noticing his wife's hesitation, Owen stood up, grabbing the sheet. He immediately scanned his eyes through it.

"Your electrolytes seem to be in order…" He muttered, interpreting the results. "No evidence of infection… Liver and renal function seem fine too," Owen noticed, flipping to the last page. "whoa, Beta HCG level of twelve thousand," Owen frowned in surprise, noticing the high levels. "Yeah, baby, you're definitely pregnant," He said with a look of unmistakable satisfaction on his face.

It was Amelia's turn to sit down. She was afraid she'd faint if she kept standing up. She used her hands to cover her face as she let out a loud sigh, trying to control the turmoil of emotions and thoughts that were assaulting her.

"How could this have happened?" Owen distinguished the worry in her voice as she asked the question. "We were being careful!" Amelia complained.

"Babe, it's alright," Owen smiled, disappointed she didn't look at least a bit happy about it. But at the same time, he understood where her hesitation was coming from. "Look, it's not like we're teenagers trying to figure out our entire lives ahead of us, alright?" He said with a sweet voice, taking a seat on a chair next to hers at the Lab waiting area. "We're going to figure this out and when we see our baby's face for the first time, you'll realize how amazing this news is."

"I am so overwhelmed," Amelia sniffed, leaning over to hide her face on his shoulder. "I had just set up deadlines and worked up a chronogram to finally publish that case study on massive gliomas," Her voice sounded nervous.

Owen knew Amelia hated the unknown and she wasn't at all comfortable with not having control of the situation. He could see why the news would stress her out, considering they hadn't planned that pregnancy, much on the contrary.

"It's all going to work out," He rubbed his hand on her arm, gently. "Do you want to go see our baby?" Owen asked, his eyes gloating with anticipation.

Amelia nodded shyly, guilty that she wasn't thrilled at the news like in her two previous pregnancies. She texted her fellows, letting them know she'd be a little later that morning. Owen kept his hand on her lower back, guiding her to an available room at the ER, where a portable ultrasound could easily be found.

"When was your last period?" He asked, splashing the cold gel on her lower abdomen as Amelia lay down on the exam table.

"I think about five weeks ago," Amelia replied, concentrating hard on remembering it. "Yeah, I think that was it, it was a few days before we left for Hawaii. I was supposed to have gotten my period a couple of days ago but it hasn't come yet… Now I know why, obviously." She said with a nuance of sarcasm.

"So if you're five weeks along we should probably be able to see the gestational sac, but not much else," Owen pulled the screen closer and moved the transducer probe on her flat belly. "Though your HCG levels are through the roof," He frowned, intrigued. "Are you sure you had your period before we traveled? It's likely you were already pregnant when we went, judging by the count. Twelve thousand is too high. It's more likely that you're around seven or eight weeks, babe."

Amelia shrugged, thinking the ultrasound measures would give them a more accurate answer, considering that beta HCG levels varied too much and therefore weren't a trustworthy method to define gestational. She started to grow impatiently anxious when Owen kept rubbing the probe on her lower abdomen, apparently unable to find anything.

"What is it?" She frowned in distress and slightly sat up, unable to contain herself. "What's wrong?" Amelia added, noticing the worried look on her husband's face.

"I can't find it," Owen said, trying to keep calm.

"Oh, God," Amelia felt her stomach churning, being assaulted by a wave of nausea when she heard the news. "Please, let this _not_ be an ectopic pregnancy or worse…"

Owen knew as well as his wife that even though the levels of HCG had a wide range, twelve thousand was too high for them to be only five weeks along. And if the baby was older than that, it was alarming that it couldn't be found in the ultrasound image, leading them to think of other possibilities. The most common reason to explain pregnancy-compatible HCG levels and absence of fetus visualization was an ectopic pregnancy.

"You wait here," He tried to be calm, knowing Amelia would freak out if she thought he was nervous too. "I'll go get someone more experienced. Don't freak out," He commanded, noticing how pale her face was.

Owen went outside and dialed Ben Warren's number. The former resident was now an OB fellow and Owen trusted his capacities completely. As soon as he saw his friend and colleague approaching the hall, Owen filled him in on everything that was happening, from the nausea to the blood exam results.

"Alright, Amelia, let me take a look," Ben said gently, noticing she was biting her lower lip anxiously. Owen went around the table and stood by his wife's side, holding her hand as they both looked at the Ultrasound screen while Ben applied more gel and swiftly moved the probe around, looking for the best angle to get a clear view of her uterus.

"Ohh, I see it right here," Warren let out a sigh of relief when he pointed out on the screen the image of a small bubble, undoubtedly a gestational sac.

"Thank God," Owen let out the breath he'd been holding, noticing on Amelia's face how she was suddenly relieved and even a bit happy with the news.

"It's barely visible, that's why you couldn't find it," Warren nodded gently to Owen before taking his eyes back to the screen. Amelia noticed that as he did, the OB doctor frowned again and her heart raced, thinking what could be wrong that time.

"Ben?" She practically yelled, hysterically.

"There's something else," Ben said with a distracted voice, completely focused on getting the best angle to visualize the image he thought to have seen.

"Oh my God," Amelia felt anxiety taking over her again and looked from Ben to Owen, desperate for an answer.

"Here," Ben said excitedly, freezing the screen to show the couple what he considered great news. "A gestational sac, the placenta…" Warren used the arrow on the screen to outline the images as he described them. "A baby," He said, pointing to the small mass right in the middle. "And here, the other baby."

"WHAT?"

Warren looked from Amelia to Owen, noticing the clear reactions stamped on their faces. She looked livid, eyebrows raised, obviously fighting with incredulity, whereas Owen looked the silliest Warren had ever seen.

"Two babies!" Owen's voice sounded cheerful and he let out a loud chuckle, overwhelmed with the idea. Just minutes before he'd been fearing for an ectopic pregnancy, just to go from hell to heaven as he found out they were having not one, but two more kids.

"Two babies?" Amelia repeated, taking her hand to her temple, feeling for the first time in a week that the nausea wasn't her biggest problem.

"That would explain the high HCG levels, even though these little guys seem to be around five or six weeks," Ben added with a happy smile, focusing on the image. "Ohh, here, I found the heart of twin A," He turned on the doppler.

When the sound of the steady heartbeat filled the room, Amelia couldn't help feeling emotional. Her eyes swelled in a mix of fear, relief and joy. Ben was just aiming for a clear sound of twin B's heartbeat when she heard Owen's loud laugh the minute the sounds of the two babies' hearts mixed, creating a confusing rhythm that sounded amazingly perfect.

"Everything checks out," Warren gently wiped the gel from Amelia's abdomen. "Shepherd, schedule a proper appointment with me next week in the outpatient clinic, alright? Any date you want, just let me know and I'll squeeze you in," He added with a smile. "I'll give you guys some privacy now."

"Thank you, Warren," Owen nodded with gratitude, holding Amelia's hand.

"Yeah, thank you so much," Amelia added as she watched the OB leave.

As soon as Ben closed the door after him, Owen looked from their linked hands to his wife's face, unable to hide how the unexpected news had completely swept him off his feet. They'd left the house that morning as parents of two, and now, they were going to be parents of four.

"I can't believe this," He said, mesmerized. "Twins. Babe, we're having _twins._ "

"Oh, God," Amelia let out an exasperated sigh and pulled Owen in for a hug. "I was freaking about a third but now there's a fourth! It has to be some kind of irony from the universe," She couldn't help laughing, feeling numbed at the situation. "I am not even freaking out anymore…" Amelia confessed, with complete honesty. "I am way past that line," She let out a nervous laugh, wondering if Owen felt the same.

"That explains why you're feeling so sick all the time," Owen recalled. "You weren't usually this sick in your previous pregnancies but now it's different, because there are _two_ babies," He couldn't help smiling all the time. "Twice as much trouble," He rubbed her cheek, trying to cheer her up.

"But twice as much love," Amelia finished the sentence for him, knowing that was exactly what he meant.

"I love you so much," Owen held her face between his hands and smiled adoringly while looking deeply into her eyes. "We can do this, babe. It's going to be amazing." He affirmed with total conviction. "Four kids, whoa, I am happy beyond words…"

Amelia wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly, grateful that Owen could always make up for her insecurities in the moments she needed the most. Hearing him say those words with so much serenity made her actually believe that everything was going to work out.

Amelia spent the entire day inside the OR, focusing entirely on her surgeries but even with the surgical mask, it was hard to hide the smile that insisted on forming on her lips every time she recalled the events of that morning. Being pregnant again certainly wasn't in their plans, and despite all the worry about a multiple pregnancy, for the moment all she could think about was that she was blessed enough to have two more babies, who would definitely only add to the amazing family she had started with Owen.

At the thought of her husband, Amelia couldn't help smiling widely. She knew exactly how he felt about their family and how he completely prioritized their kids above all else. Owen loved his job and his career but his biggest passion in life were their two boys. Amelia didn't need to think hard to remember how devoted he was to Lucas and Thomas and she could see why the idea of having more kids would make him happy beyond words. His happiness was contagious.

And realizing that only made her even more satisfied and sure that everything was going to be fine.


	17. Hawaii Trip - Part Four

**My Boys Drabbles – Hawaii Trip (Part Four)**

Over the course of the following weeks, Amelia needed regular consults with Ben Warren, especially after he'd noticed she'd lost weight during the course of the first weeks of gestation. But when Amelia entered her second trimester, the nausea completely vanished and she could easily make up for every pound she'd lost.

"I am glad to see your appetite is back," Owen noticed with a smile while they had dinner at home.

"This is just too delicious," Amelia affirmed, trying to manage slicing her chicken only with the fork as her other hand was busy balancing Thomas still on her legs. She was at fifteen weeks now and since she was carrying two, her bump was considerable noticeable, making it harder to fit her two year old between the table and herself.

"I am glad I can be of help," Owen added, satisfied that she'd liked the dinner he had prepared. "Hey nugget, did you finish your dinner?" He looked at Thomas, seeing as the boy was picking food from his mother's plate with his fingers.

"I finished," Thomas said, his cute dimples showing when he flashed his dad with a smile.

"Me too, can I get dessert?" Lucas smiled widely, looking from his mom to his dad.

"Sure, buddy," Owen let out a chuckle and ruffled his son's hair before getting up with the dirty plates and taking them to the kitchen.

"If these two eat like those two," Amelia pointed from her pregnant belly to her children, "We might consider getting an industrial kitchen for the new house."

Owen laughed and closed the fridge, taking two small cups of pudding and placing them in front of his sons. They had just closed the deal on a new house a couple of weeks before, after realizing their current place didn't have enough room for two more babies.

"Today Meredith was complaining that Ellis doesn't want to eat her food, like ever," Amelia laughed, nodding her head in disapproval. "And Jackson said Harriet and Joey are the same," She added, referring to April and Jackson's two kids. "I was like, yeah, we definitely _don't_ have to worry about that," Amelia smiled at her own realization, seeing how big, strong and healthy her two sons were.

"They are big boys," Owen commented, watching Lucas' unmistakable happiness at the first taste of the sweet dessert. "You're going to be amazing big brothers, aren't you?" He looked from one son to the other. "We just have to wait to find out if it's two brothers or two sisters."

Amelia knew that considering she only had one placenta, the only possibility was that they were having identical twins.

"They're going to be your birthday present, Luke," Amelia teased, knowing the twins were due around July.

"But I wanted a new Hot Wheels racing car," Lucas protested, for the first time taking his eyes off his dessert.

"We'll see if we can do both," Owen laughed heartily, completely happy on that average week night.

.

Later that same day, Amelia was already in bed, ready to fall asleep when she felt Owen lying by her side on the spacious bed. It didn't surprise her when he rolled over and gently covered her body with his, supporting his weight on his arms.

"You are looking more amazing every day," Her husband said with flattery, kissing her jaw line in the darkness of the room.

"You just want to get laid," Amelia laughed, running her hands on his back, well aware of his intentions.

"I do, very much," Owen didn't try to hide it and stopped his trail of kisses to look her in the eye. "But I also mean what I said," He smiled and touched his lips to hers, parting them with experienced ease to deepen their kiss.

Amelia's hand traveled from his back to his muscular arms, rubbing them gently as Owen made his way down, covering her with a shower of kisses.

"We need to have all the sex we can now," He said, very objectively. "Because in a couple of months you won't be able to anymore and then it's just me on my own," Owen flashed his dirtiest smile at her.

"Oh, God," Amelia laughed, contaminated by his happiness.

"That and then when they're born we're probably going to want to sleep at any chance we can, so no sex too," He affirmed, kissing her bellybutton playfully. "Well, I am pretty sure I'd give up sleep for sex but I doubt that you would," Owen smiled, openly teasing her. He knew that after giving birth, mothers were completely caught up with the newborn only and he completely understood it. They would have the rest of their lives to be together, whereas their newborn twins would need their mother's full attention, especially in the weeks following birth.

"Maybe we should stop having sex for good," Amelia suggested with mirth in her voice, knowing she didn't believe it at all. "That is the only way to make sure we won't have any more unplanned pregnancies."

"If that's what it takes then get ready to have ten more, because no sex is out of question," Owen replied with a heartfelt smile, knowing she loved to tease him.

"You're tickling me!" Amelia winced sideways, laughing at the touch of her husband's large hands against the bare skin of her abdomen.

"Hey there, babies," Owen pulled her shirt up and lay between her legs, kissing her lower belly with loving devotion. "Dad can't wait to meet you two but now you have to stay really, really quiet and go to sleep," He rubbed her bump gently, making Amelia giggle at his ticklish touch. "Because what dad is about to do to mommy is very inappropriate for you two to be watching," Owen finished, hearing the delicious sound of his wife's laughter.

"Is it?" She smiled with mischief, pulling him up for a new kiss.

"Very," Owen openly flirted, pulling her shirt up completely before stealing her breath with yet another amazing kiss.

.

On her nineteen week ultrasound, Amelia found out they were having boys. Even though she knew Owen hoped for daughters, he seemed completely thrilled all the same. One night a few weeks before he had mentioned being sure they were having daughters because of the dream he'd once had, but now they knew for sure they were having sons, he was still completely on board with the idea and just as excited.

"Team Hunt is growing but one more and we have a full basketball team lined up," Owen winked at Amelia while he carried boxes for her to unpack. They were just finished moving into their new home. "Think about it, babe."

"I want to see _you_ thinking about it when you are up at three in the morning taking turns with me to change two diapers," Amelia replied bitterly, but she couldn't hide the amused smile on her face.

"It will be my pleasure," Owen replied with flattery.

"Yeah?" Amelia teased, going after him as Owen carried one more box to the kitchen. "I want to see you repeat that when you leave the house late with your shirt covered in baby spit."

"Well, if you don't want to have your clothes dirty with spit," He put the box on the ground and looked at her with a sparkle in his eyes. "You can just remember that Hawaii rule and walk around naked. I wouldn't mind."

"Yeah, right," Amelia rolled her eyes at him, recalling the day Owen had suggested that in their trip. "'Cause that's going to help me avoid new pregnancies."

"If it's up to me, it sure won't," He added, wrapping one arm around her shoulder.

"If I leave it up to you, I'll spend most of my lifetime being pregnant."

"I can't deny that," He slid his free hand on her bump, seeing how grown it already was. "My guys are good," He whispered in her ear, obviously gloating. "Two for the price of one."

"You're awful," Amelia couldn't hold a fit of laughter.

"But you love me anyway."

"I do."

.

When Amelia was thirty four weeks along, Owen was determined to convince her to stay home, but it wouldn't surprise him that his stubborn wife wouldn't do as told. Bailey had already formally banned her from the OR, driving Amelia crazy with irritation.

"You have to go home," Owen tried to convince her, wondering how she even managed to stand up. He never thought he would see her looking bigger than she had in Lucas' pregnancy, but the sight of her at that moment proved him wrong. She had taken Lucas' gestation up to thirty nine weeks but now, at only thirty four, her belly was one of the biggest Owen had ever seen and he knew it was taking a toll on her lower back.

"I am fine," Amelia insisted, walking into the elevator with him. It was four in the afternoon and she could very well help out with cases, even if she was forbidden by the chief of surgery to scrub in. "I have an entire department to run."

"You've barely been managing to get any sleep at night," Owen reminded her, knowing how uncomfortable she was. When standing up, Amelia forced her back and when lying down, the weight of her abdomen would compress her thorax, making it harder to expand her lungs and breathe properly. "I'll drive you home, come on," Owen pressed the bottom floor button on the elevator.

"No, you won't," His wife insisted.

"Amelia, damn it," Owen sighed impatiently. "You've been here since early this morning walking around from place to place looking for something to do when you could very well be at home with your feet up trying to get some rest while you still can!" He lectured her, knowing sometimes it was the only way to get through to his wife. "You're thirty four weeks along and most women are already on leave by this time, and that considering a one baby gestation…" Owen ranted, but stopped suddenly when he felt a gentle weight against his shoulder. Looking sideways, his worry vanished when he noticed the regular breathing of his wife against his shoulder. "Amelia?"

She had fallen asleep standing against him and Owen knew that it was more than enough proof that she should go home. Already used to her stubbornness, he wrapped one arm around her shoulders, watching how her eyes got wide with shock as the loud _ding_ from the elevator door opening startled her.

"You're _not_ coming back tomorrow," Owen said very decisively and wrapped one arm around her, giving her a gentle kiss on the head to comfort her. At the same time he was angry at how impossible she was, he also felt sorry that she had to go through all the discomfort. Finally realizing her husband had a point, Amelia agreed with a gentle head nod, feeling too tired to even speak.

.

In an average Wednesday morning, Owen was just finishing prepping a patient in one the trauma rooms when he heard his phone ringing incessantly. He was about to ignore it, but the sight of his wife's number on the screen made him change his mind.

"Hey, babe, what's going on?" Owen asked as he opened a trash bin to discard his used gloves.

"My water just broke," Amelia admitted, going straight to the point.

"You hang tight in there, I am coming to get you," Owen felt his pulse racing and rushed to the ER entrance, handing his tablet to April, as he filled her in on the patient who needed surgery, explaining why he needed to go.

His wife had been at home for the past three weeks now and everyone agreed how amazing it was that they'd managed to take a twin pregnancy to full term. Warren's best guess was that her body had only taken it because it was Amelia's fourth pregnancy but that could also mean her labor would progress much faster.

The OB had warned them several times about the likelihood of them needing a C-section this time, considering it was a multiple pregnancy. But when Owen found Amelia at home, she was already contracting. And when they made it back to the hospital, after calling Evelyn to help with Lucas and Thomas, they found out Amelia was almost fully dilated.

"Alright, Amelia, there are two ways we can do this," Ben Warren told her as they were already settled in one of the delivery rooms in the OB ward. "If you decide to let nature take its course, and I believe you can, you can have these babies right here in a few. Or we can go up to the OR right now and get it over with in less than an hour, but I'm afraid you're progressing too fast. I'd recommend vaginal birth."

"Okay," Amelia nodded her head in agreement, looked up at Owen to see what he thought about the decision but she closed her eyes without seeing his response as another wave of pain assaulted her when a new contraction hit.

"Twin A is right here," Warren could feel the tip of the baby's head at his touch, "But twin B is pelvic. Now, you told me Lucas was born at nine pounds?" He looked at her, but seeing as she couldn't pay much attention, the OB tried Owen instead.

"Uhh, yeah," Owen agreed, nervously looking from wife to Ben. "Luke was born weighing nine pounds and Tom, eight."

"That's good, that's good," Warren reassured them, thinking back at the latest ultrasound they'd had just the week before. "Judging by the data we have, these little guys shouldn't be more than five, five and a half each, which is great for twins," Warren assured them with a sympathetic smile. "You're fully dilated now, Amelia. Whenever you feel like pushing, you can."

" _Already_?" She scowled, not at all looking forward to that moment.

Amelia wouldn't admit it, but a big part of her was secretly hoping for a C-section in order to avoid the awful experience that giving birth had been. The birth of her first son had been excruciating because despite all the physical pain, she also knew he would be gone within minutes. Then she had given birth to Lucas and they both had nearly died during it. When Thomas was born, it hadn't been as bad but the birth had still been long, painful and extremely uncomfortable.

"Another contraction is starting now," She declared, with a broken voice.

"You can do this, babe," Owen held her hand, knowing she would squeeze it until his fingers were almost breaking but he didn't mind if that meant it would help her.

"Chin on the chest, now push," Warren guided her, with his usual calm and patience. He watched as Amelia increased the pressure on her pelvis. "He is nearly here, Amelia. You can breathe now." He gently replied,convinced she knew as well as he did how labor worked. "Use the next few seconds to recover your breath and when the next contraction hits, you push it as hard as you can, alright? The first baby is coming now."

Amelia did exactly as told, giving one final big push, feeling the familiar pain assaulting her. But faster than she expected, a loud cry echoed in the room and she was assault by an even stronger feeling when she saw her son for the first time: unconditional love.

"Hi, Daniel…" Owen welcome the baby in his arms after Warren clamped the cord and cut it, handing the baby over to his father. "Say hi to mommy," Owen bent over, showing Amelia their perfect little baby, who was crying his lungs out.

"He is so beautiful… So perfect," Amelia teared up, feeling her emotional bliss being interrupted when another contraction hit her.

"Are you ready for round two?" Warren asked with good humor. The second baby was presenting his bottom instead of his head, and those births were usually much more challenging, but the OB was confident it would go smoothly. "You can push now, Amelia."

Two strong contractions and pushes later, Amelia heard the amazing sound of another loud cry vibrating in the room.

"Give me, give me," She stretched her arms to Ben, anxious to see her second baby. Ben smiled as he cut the cord and a nurse wiped and dried the baby, wrapping him in a warm, fluffy blanket.

"What is this one called?" Warren took a look at the baby with a wide smile as he handed over the bundle of joy to his mother's arms.

"Robert," Amelia replied with a happy grin, taking her baby in her arms for the first time.

After the birth was completely over, Amelia was taken to a private room on the same floor, smiling with pride as each baby suckled fiercely on one breast.

"They look gorgeous, Amelia," Evelyn Hunt said from the side of her bed, inspecting her new grandsons, "the three of you do."

"Thank you," Amelia gave her adored mother in a law a grateful smile and looked from Lucas to Thomas, seeing how excited and confused they looked. "Come here, sweetheart. You, too," She looked from one to the other. "Come meet your brothers."

Owen approached the bed and held one boy in each arm, gently bending over to let them see the twins.

"Why is he wrinkly?" Lucas upfront asked, frowning at the sight of one of the newborns.

"He was just born, Luke," Owen looked to his wife with a smile on his face, knowing she was also amused at their oldest boy's curiosity.

"He looks funny," Lucas decided, inspecting the other baby. "I am more handsome."

Owen laughed, noticing his wife and mother had cracked up too. They now would have to split their time among four boys and having been an older brother himself, Owen knew very well that the fight for attention was only about to start.

.

"We should buy a new set of tags," Owen suggested with good mood on a Friday night. They were at home with their six week old twins, getting ready for bedtime after celebrating Thomas' third birthday with a small party at home for family guests only. "This way we'd know who's been fed already and who hasn't."

"You know, that's actually not a bad idea," Amelia smiled at her husband while she finished buttoning Danny's onesie.

"I didn't even ask, how was your consult today?" Owen asked as he held Robbie up on his arms, giving the baby gentle pats on his butt hoping he would burp before putting the twin down.

"It was alright, everything checks out," Amelia said, referring to her OB consult. "Ben thinks I shouldn't go back on the pill, though," She let him know, picking up Danny and doing exactly what Owen was doing to Robbie. "Since I am still breastfeeding and all… He suggested an IUD as birth control method, what do you think?"

"Well, we know the pill has proven not to be the best method for us," Owen smiled, recalling the events of that past year, from their amazing family trip, to the discovery of the pregnancy and their late, sleepless nights taking care of two newborns.

"You know, I was thinking about that," Amelia said, looking conspicuously at her husband. "We never talked about this, but judging by the math, it was pretty obvious I got pregnant during that trip."

"Yeah?" Owen said with an innocent face, wondering what her point was.

"And I kept thinking and trying to remember…" Amelia confessed humbly. "I'm pretty sure it was my fault."

"What do you mean?" Owen asked seriously, but chuckled when Robbie let out a loud burp.

"Well…" Amelia followed her husband to the corner of the room, where they kept an oversized crib that could easily fit both twins. The boys liked to sleep snuggled up next to each other and Amelia thought it was only natural, considering they'd spent the entire time they'd been growing inside of her close as one. "There was this one night when we came back from the restaurant. You were jealous because that guy had paid for our dinner and hit on me. And I was so distracted by everything that when I went to take my pill, I miscounted them and didn't take one." Amelia informed her husband, following him back to their bed. "I figured I already had, so I think I ended up skipping it? I can't help but be convinced that that one slip was what caused the birth control failure."

Amelia expected her husband to tease her and rejoice in her confession, because he often joked about how she liked to gloat when she was right. But instead, he frowned in response, looking very serious.

"Well, since we're being so honest…" Owen let out a sigh and pulled the cover to their bed, unsure of how Amelia would react to his confession. "Do you remember when you told me to get some aspirin in your purse?" She didn't agree or deny it, looking at him expectantly instead. "Well, I took two pills from your box one morning. But later that evening, when you'd already fallen asleep, I went back for more because my headache still hadn't subsided and I noticed that I _might_ have taken the wrong pill in the morning."

"Owen," Amelia tried not to sound judgmental but failed miserably. "What are you saying?" She couldn't help breathing out through her nose, obviously doing her best to contain herself.

"I think I took your birth control pills by mistake," He sheepishly confessed, unconsciously doing his best puppy eyes to prevent a domestic disaster.

"You what?" Amelia's eyes widened with shock and her voice betrayed her anger as she pulled a heavy pillow and mercilessly threw it at him. "You took my pill and didn't tell me?!"

"How would I know you had them counted?!" Owen dodged the first pillow but was hit in the chest by the second. "I figured you'd be smarter than that," He provoked.

"So, this is my fault?" She took large strides in his direction, looking dangerously out of control.

"No, of course not!" Owen dodged her hit, wrapping his arms around hers to stop Amelia from going full crazy on him. "It's entirely my fault."

"You think this is funny!" Amelia noticed, with outrage. He was smiling and she couldn't take it. "You actually do!"

"No, I don't…" Owen tried to lie but it was obvious he was entirely amused.

"It's your fault I got pregnant!" Amelia tried to free herself from his arms and when he wouldn't let her, she bent over trying to bite him. "You knocked me up and then acted like you were innocent for nine months!"

"How could I be innocent if you just said it was me who got you pregnant?" He asked, trying to make sense out of her. "You know you'd make this my fault no matter what."

Amelia took in a deep breath, trying to calm down.

"Yeah…" She rolled her eyes, still angry at him. "I probably would."

"So this means I'm off the hook?" Owen slowly and very gently loosened up the tight embrace around her arms.

"Of course not, you knocked me up!" Amelia looked at him with fire in her eyes. "I want to kill you with my bare hands."

Owen couldn't contain a fit of laughter and spun his wife around, embracing her from behind.

"Look there," He said, gently placing his chin on her shoulder and he whispered in her ear. "Aren't they perfect?" He asked, looking at their twins sons. "Aren't they the best thing that has ever happened to you?" He said with flattery, trying to make Amelia see it.

"Yes," Amelia admitted, smiling widely when her eyes caught sight of her adorable baby boys. They were the most perfect little babies in the whole world and she would never regret having them.

"So instead of punishing me," Owen suggested playfully, "Maybe you should be thanking me instead."

"Don't push it," Amelia warned him, but her voice was void of any anger or resentment.

Owen laughed and tightened his grip around her, kissing her cheek repeatedly.

"So maybe next year we can go back to that Resort in Hawaii," He suggested, thinking about how Lucas and Thomas had enjoyed every minute of the amazing week they'd spent there.

"And risk coming home with another surprise?" Amelia laughed at her own joke, nodding her head in denial. "No, thank you."

"Well, we could still reproduce those moments here," Owen shrugged, contemplating their sleepy sons with a look of adoration.

"Don't talk about reproducing anymore," She turned around in his arms, wrapping her arms around his neck for a hug. "Ever."

Owen's heartily laughter echoed in the room and Amelia gave him a quick kiss, suggesting they'd go to bed before their hungry twins woke up to be breastfed. When long ago Owen had suggested that trip to Hawaii, she had been hesitant about it, but after seeing his excitement, she had embarked on the idea, seeing him fully proving himself right with the assumption they'd have a lot of fun.

And when she'd found out about the pregnancy, the same thing had happened. Owen had gotten contagiously happy, whereas she had kept on overthinking too much, needing his reassurance multiple times to believe they'd be alright.

Now, looking at their two sons sleeping peacefully in their crib, Amelia wondered how she could have been so foolish to think otherwise. Owen's devotion to their family was inspiring and over the years, he'd unknowingly taught her to let her excitement and happiness about their life events slowly overcome her reservations and fears. When they'd first started out their lives together, Amelia's traumas had almost compromised their entire future. And even though now she had finally learned that she deserved to be fully happy, every now and then, she would still need a little reassurance. And to her sheer luck, if there was one thing Amelia didn't doubt was that Owen would always be there by her side to remind her.


	18. My Girl

**My Boys Drabbles – My Girl**

"Hurry up, guys, lunch will be cold!" Owen yelled to the back door, seeing their three youngest children tossing snowballs at each other while their dog Peanut ran from one to another, playfully biting their sleeves.

One by one, they entered the house and the four of them were already sat by the table eating lunch when Danny asked:

"Dad, is mom coming home tomorrow or on Tuesday? Because I need to know if she's going to attend our game tomorrow night so I can save her a ticket."

"They're selling out faster than Super Bowl," Robbie exaggerated, obviously proud.

Owen chuckled, contaminated by his sons' happiness. Ever since they'd started high school, the twins had joined the football team, much to Amelia's dismay. Every time they mentioned it, she would chant _head concussion_ but that didn't prevent her from screaming and cheering like a crazy woman from the bleachers whenever her sons were playing.

"She comes home tomorrow night," Owen replied, watching as Robbie added more food to his plate. "I'm sure she'll want to go watch you guys too. Save her a ticket."

"Dad, what time do we leave for today's game?" Megan asked, looking from her brothers to their dad.

It was Sunday and as he often did, Owen was going to take the kids to Century Link Field, a stadium in Seattle, to watch an NFL game.

"Around three, I guess. The game starts at five thirty. We can get there earlier to avoid the traffic jam."

"Ok, can we stop by the drug store on the way?" Megan asked very naturally, after taking a sip from her glass of water.

"Yeah, but why do you need to go to the drug store?" Owen frowned at his twelve year old daughter. "Are you sick or something?"

"No, I just need to buy cramp medication. I stole some from mom's cabinet but I just took the last one this morning."

"Cramps?" Owen frowned harder, looking for Danny and Robbie for help but the boys looked just as oblivious. "What cramps? Are you okay?" Owen held his fork in the air midway to his mouth. "Why didn't you tell me you were sick?"

"I am not sick, dad," Megan explained with impatience. "I am on my period."

The three kids heard the sound of Owen's fork hitting the plate as he'd obviously dropped it. They immediately looked up to meet their father's obviously startled eyes.

"Your what?" Owen was visibly uncomfortably surprised and had already stopped eating completely. "Period? Since when do you have periods?"

"Since yesterday," Megan replied with serenity, bringing her attention back to her plate as soon as she finished answering.

" _Yesterday_?" Owen wondered if he was the only one shocked by the information because his daughter apparently wasn't. He looked from one twin to the other, noticing Robbie and Danny seemed just as uncomfortable by that conversation as he was, but the boys had the privilege of choosing to not be a part of it. "Why didn't you tell me?" Owen asked, concerned.

Amelia had been out of town in a work trip since the previous Thursday and would only be back on Monday. He had no idea their daughter had gone through that and he was shocked to have found out that way, halfway through a casual meal.

"Why would I tell you?" Megan blinked, obviously unaffected.

"Well…" Owen started with a serious tone, trying to think of what to say but he didn't have any solid point to make. "I could have helped," He settled for saying, hating to feel that powerless in face of the situation.

"You will help if you get me the cramp medicine," Megan added with a smile.

The three kids resumed eating their lunch as Owen's eyes widened with shock. He looked from the twins to Megan and then back, trying to think that information through.

"Why am I the only one who seems to be affected by this?" He asked out loud, wishing more than ever that his wife was at home.

"Probably because you are the only one who is," Megan frowned, letting out a loud laugh when she noticed how uncomfortable her father really looked.

"Megan, you got your first period, it's not just something that…"

"Dad," Megan interrupted him, seeing as her father was freaking out for no reason. "It's not that big of a deal. Every girl goes through that, it's no different than growing a beard, for example. You went to med school. I am pretty sure I don't need to explain to you how physiology works."

" _What?_ " Owen scowled, totally not predicting that answer.

"That means the way the human body functions normally," Danny explained, thinking someone had to step in to help their father.

"I know what it means!" Owen replied bitterly, giving Danny a censoring look before turning back to his daughter. "Are you sure you're okay?" He cleared his throat, clearly uncomfortable to be put in that position. "Do you need to ask something?" Owen gathered the strength to ask, silently threatening Amelia for being absent in that awful timing. "I mean, do you have any questions or doubts?"

"Dad," Megan rolled her eyes playfully, holding her laughter. "I'm in seventh grade. I know how this works," The girl added with confidence. "It is a normal thing. You don't have to be all worked up about it."

"Yeah dad, the only time one should start worrying about periods is when they stop coming," Robbie added with a teasing smile. "We all know what that means too, in case you're wondering."

Owen looked furiously at his son, obviously not finding his joke one bit funny. Both Danny and Megan turned their heads to their respective plates, trying their hardest not to laugh.

"Too soon?" Robbie asked with good humor, holding his instinct to look at his siblings because he knew they'd all burst out laughing.

"I can't deal with you all," Owen nodded his head in denial and frustration. He wished more than anything that Amelia was there, she was far better in those situations than he was. He had no idea if Megan knew what to do, but he also had no idea if _he_ knew what was supposed to be done. In moments like that, he thought it was only fair that there was an older woman at the house and he cursed heavens because neither Amelia nor Kate were around that day.

"Do you want to talk about football?" Danny proposed, hoping that would give back their father his usual mood.

"Please," Owen said between his teeth.

"I think the Hawks will break the yards record for the season," Robbie intervened, trying to lighten up the mood. "We can go to playoffs with that in our sleeve."

"Do we have a full team back today?" Megan asked, already finished with her meal. "Who's benched by injury?"

"No one is," Danny replied with a satisfied smile.

"Good," The girl smiled in support. "It means a sure win for us today, then!"

.

As requested, Owen stopped by the nearest drug store and watched as Megan quickly went there accompanied by Danny to get the medication she wanted. He then drove to the stadium, hoping the subject they'd discussed at lunch wasn't mentioned again for the following hours.

When the game started, Owen couldn't help improving his mood. He loved that sport and he loved even more the fact that his children were just as crazy about it. Over the years, it had become a family thing to either go to the Stadium watch their team play when they were having a home game or to just sit around by the TV to watch it. Owen loved those moments, not only because of the sport, but because the entire family would actually sit together and talk about absolutely nothing and everything.

They all had the Seattle Seahawks official jersey with numbers from one to seven on their backs and big letters above them with the word HUNT right above the number. It made Owen very proud the way their kids would refer to their family as Team Hunt and in part he had to thank Amelia for that, because she was usually the glue that kept everyone together and no one cheered more for their family than she did. Even though his wife wasn't a big football fan, over the years she'd come to know the sport and even enjoy it, especially when the atmosphere was great at the stadium as it was that afternoon.

Owen couldn't help smiling with sadness when he noticed that the jerseys number two, three and four were missing. Amelia was in Chicago for a neurosurgery congress and both Lucas and Thomas were away at their respective universities. Lucas was now in his sophomore year at the University of Washington and they saw him often, considering it was only a thirty minute drive, but he was busy with his midterms and couldn't make it to that game. Thomas was all the way across the country in his first year at Harvard and Owen missed his son more than he could find words to explain.

His thoughts were interrupted by a loud uproar when the Seahawks running back scored a touchdown after a long pass and Owen couldn't help laughing when their three children screamed in celebration. Megan unintentionally threw popcorn in the air when she hugged her dad, jumping up and down as the fans cheered everywhere around them.

Owen wrapped one arm around his daughter's shoulders, letting out a heavy sigh amidst the happy atmosphere. His little girl was growing and Owen had just found out he wasn't the least bit ready for it.

.

"She told you what?" Amelia didn't bother to hide her laughter, seeing how upset her husband was as he shared the events of the previous day's lunch.

"She said she had a fair understanding of physiology," Owen quoted with a scowl and then seeing his wife was clearly entertained with his predicament, added, "Why are you having so much fun with this? It's not funny."

"Except it is," Amelia finished taking off her shoes and threw them clumsily inside the closet, desperate to take a shower to wash off that awful plane and airport sensation.

"Because it wasn't you who had to hear your daughter calmly telling you she just had a period." Owen confessed with frustration, visibly grumpy.

"Aw, come on, babe! You knew that was due anytime now, she's twelve years old," Amelia said, unceremoniously taking off all her clothes and turning on the shower.

"That doesn't mean I was ready for it," Owen let out a heavy sigh, irritated. "And the fact that you weren't here didn't help one bit."

"I've talked to Meg about it lots of times before," Amelia's voice sounded muffled from inside the shower box. "But even I was surprised by how easily she seemed to already know everything when I tried teaching her."

The lack of reply from Owen didn't surprise Amelia and she quietly finished her shower, reveling in the hot water for a few minutes longer. When she was done, Amelia put on a pair yoga pants and one of Owen's old college T shirts, even though they looked too oversized for her.

Once she made it back from the closet to their bedroom, Amelia turned off the lights and slowly crawled on the bed to snuggle up next to her husband, lazily resting against him as he watched TV in the now dark room.

"You're still upset?" Amelia read the answer in his eyes and rolled over on the mattress, using his legs as a pillow to support her head as she looked into his eyes. "What? What is it you're not telling me?" She straightforwardly asked, far too familiar with Owen's moods to know he was still worked up about Megan's revelation.

"I already told you everything," Owen replied impatiently, not taking his eyes from the TV as he spoke.

Amelia felt his fingers slowly digging through her hair in an idle caress and she closed her eyes, eager to fall asleep in the comfort of her own bed after days of sleeping in a hotel.

"But?" She couldn't help adding, even with her eyes closed.

Amelia could hear as Owen breathed in and out, obviously struggling with his emotions and she waited for what was inevitably coming.

"I know that she's growing up," Owen's voice resonated in the room but Amelia wasn't surprised by it. "And I expected that to happen, I did… It's just…" He struggled, not sure how he would explain it. "I just wasn't expecting her to have it all so figured out, you know?" He finally took his attention from the TV and completely focused on his wife, watching as Amelia slowly rose her head from his lap and sat on the bed next to him. "It's like she doesn't even need me anymore… She knows everything, she can do everything…" Owen grumpily added, unconsciously scowling at the notion his daughter was more independent than he'd like to admit. "It's like all of a sudden she has…" Owen grew angrier at the idea, looking into his wife's eyes with irritation. "It's like she's turned into you!" He accused.

"What?" Amelia let out a loud laughter, torn between amused and offended.

He ignored her question completely, focusing on the TV ahead of them instead. But after a few seconds, he complained again.

"She doesn't even call me daddy anymore…" His voice was a growl of disappointment.

"Owen," Amelia looked at him with amused surprise, "Megan _never_ called you daddy."

"Well, she used to!" Owen replied irrationally, nearly spitting fire.

"When she was two, maybe," Amelia let out a loud chuckle, unable to stop making fun of him.

Longs seconds of silence followed as her husband clearly struggled to keep his cool.

"She's got it all figured out," Owen repeated with sarcasm, struggling with the reality that had just caught up with him. "Just yesterday Luke called me to ask what he had to do to fix the leaking pipe in his frat house… He's moved out two years ago and yet he still needs me and calls me for advice," Owen was way beyond his capacity to hide how the situation bothered him, "And just last month Tom sent an email thanking me for all the restaurant recommendations I gave him for Boston," Owen added, thinking back about the life he'd had in Harvard and how delightful it was to share that with his son who was now a freshman there. "The twins are fifteen years old and they still need us to remind them they have a test in school or that they can't walk around in their underwear all the time but Megan doesn't need us anymore, for absolutely nothing!" Owen complained, driven by frustration. "She's become this twelve year old version of you who always has an answer for every question and is never affected by anything," Owen concluded, looking at his wife with a heavy frown on his forehead, as if Amelia was to blame for that.

"Wait, I'm lost," Amelia looked at him with comic outrage, "when was it that I became the villain in this scenario?"

"Just… Just forget it," Owen turned his head away from her, focusing on the TV again.

Amelia noticed the heavy frown still intact on his forehead as he tried to control his breath. Owen's knuckles were white against the remote control that was being crushed by his tight grasp. His jaw was hardened and his eyes were gleaming with infuriated fire.

"Babe," Amelia leaned over, smiling widely at him. "Do you seriously think Megan doesn't need you anymore?" She raised her eyebrows in question, unable to hide how Owen's rant had amused her. " _Seriously_?"

"I don't think anything," Owen replied with a grumpy attitude still avoiding eye contact with her, clearly mad.

"Alright then," Amelia kept her smile to herself and once again lay down on the bed, having fun at how tense and obviously bothered he was.

She waited until Owen was breathing normally again and gently slid her palm through his stomach, searching for his hand and grabbing it. When she noticed he didn't pull away, she knew he was calm enough to rationally hear what she had to say.

"You know, just last week you were on call the night that it snowed," Amelia captured one of his large fingers and played with it between her own, gently caressing him. "It was very cold and the kids were with me watching a movie in the living room and I got up to make us some hot chocolate… Of course the boys were instantly up for it but when I asked Meg if she wanted a cup," Amelia tilted her head slightly upwards to look at his face, "she said she didn't want it because no one can make hot chocolate like you can and yours is the only one she likes."

Amelia noticed how Owen's expression softened up a bit as he listened to her, but it wasn't enough to convince him completely.

"And yesterday when I called the kids to ask if everything was alright before I went to bed," Amelia continued, very seriously. "Megan simply said that everything was fine and that you were here. She spoke as if one justified the other," She shared, speaking the truth. "Owen, she looks up to you so much," Amelia said, trying to make him see it. "You're like a superhero to her and you're never, ever going to be tossed aside in her life."

Owen let out a heavy sigh, looking away but this time more out of embarrassment than anger. He knew he was behaving irrationally, driven by his exponential love for their daughter.

"The only reason why Megan is so confident and empowered and strong is because she feels completely safe to be whatever she truly is," Amelia explained, knowing it might be harder for Owen to understand what for her was very obvious. "Our daughter knows that nothing bad can get to her because she has her dad to shield her from all harm." Amelia smiled when Owen finally gave in and looked at her. "Well, her dad and her four very savage big brothers," She added with a chuckle. "Megan knows you'd take a bullet for her and not just figuratively. That's how she sees you, Owen. You're her dad. You make her feel safe and loved and it gives her confidence. How can you possibly think she doesn't need you? She needs you more than anything."

"Sometimes it doesn't feel like she does," Owen added with a frown, feeling like a child who's thrown a tantrum.

"Because you're comparing her to the boys," Amelia rolled her eyes playfully. "Our sons are amazing and I am so proud of them but they are _boys_." Amelia added with an intentionally condescending tone. "They will grow up all you want and still be boys… And still be immature and silly and clueless until they're at least thirty five," Amelia laughed, noticing Owen was smiling at her playful banter. "But Megan is a girl and they usually grow up and mature much faster," She concluded, leaning over to give him a quick kiss on the side of his face.

Owen breathed in deeply, processing her words. What Amelia said made sense and it made him happier than he would ever admit to know that even though his daughter was growing independent, she still needed him that much.

"Besides," Amelia remembered something that she knew would cheer him up, "What other twelve year old you know that sits down to watch football with her dad and brothers?" Amelia asked, fully aware that the answer was none. "What girl you know has long conversations with her dad about car brands and fishing and that stupid show you guys like about surviving in the jungle for three weeks? Owen, she is crazy about you and she loves to spend time with you. You have to be a damn fool not to see that."

Owen then remembered about the previous afternoon and how excited Megan had been to go to the game. Even though she wasn't the little kid she'd once been, the happiness in her eyes had remained the same for all those years.

"Yeah, I guess you're right," He reluctantly gave in, smiling sheepishly at his wife.

"Of course I'm right," Amelia triumphantly said, obviously proud that she had made him come around. "Now next time you say Meg is the way she is because she's taking after me, it better be a compliment."

"Deal," Owen said, capturing her with one arm and bringing her closer to him. He looked at her affectionately and gave her a kiss on the forehead before asking, "How do you know so much about how Megan feels? It's like you understand her without even needing her to say anything."

"I was a twelve year old girl once, babe," Amelia reminded him. She played with his shirt for a few seconds before adding with a sad smile, "And besides, I didn't have a dad to pester me or offer to talk to me about my first period. I know exactly how lost and vulnerable a girl can feel when she lacks that presence in her life. So I'm damn proud and happy that you're the best dad to our kids."

Owen noticed the shadow of pain behind the loving words of his wife and unable to help himself, he captured her jaw with one hand, bringing her lips closer to a kiss.

"I'm sorry," He caressed her dark locks gently after they'd pulled apart and Amelia rested her head on his chest. "I'm such an idiot."

"But you're my favorite idiot," Amelia replied with a chuckle, holding him tightly as she listened to the sound of his heart beating against her face.

Owen wrapped both arms around her back and kept her firmly held inside his embrace. He knew that Amelia loved to be in his arms because she'd told him many times that when he hugged her was when she felt the safest. His wife had grown up without a father most of her childhood and Owen could only imagine how hard it must have been on her to feel lost in the world. Not only she had lacked the father figure, Amelia had also been present the moment her dad had been killed and that must have made her feel more vulnerable than he liked to imagine.

"I love you," Owen said, kissing the top of her head.

Amelia smiled with her eyes closed at his unexpected confession. She'd been almost asleep, but at the sound of his words, she turned quickly, giving him a kiss on the chest before dozing off completely, lulled by the gentle strokes of his hand on her back.

.

The following morning, Owen woke up with the alarm, unsurprisingly noticing his wife was already up. He knew Amelia was likely preparing breakfast in the kitchen and as usual, he got up to go wake the kids, following the morning routine they'd established for so many years.

As it often happened, Owen took several minutes dragging the twins out of bed and forcing the fifteen year olds into going to the bathroom to brush their teeth. He was still laughing at his sons' sad predicament when he entered Megan's room, taking his time watching his little girl peacefully sleeping in her green and yellow bed.

Owen sat on the edge of the mattress, smiling when he noticed for the thousandth time how Megan's now longer hair had a dark shade of strawberry blonde. He caressed his child gently before giving her a kiss on the temple.

"Wake up, sweetheart," Owen whispered gently, unable to see Megan as anything other than the sweet, rebellious little girl he loved so much. "It's time to go to school."

The twelve year old breathed in heavily, stretching her muscles before opening her amazing grayish blue eyes, smiling widely when she saw her father.

"It's Saturday, dad…" Megan tried to trick him, knowing it wouldn't work. "Let me sleep."

"It's Tuesday, you rat little liar," Owen gently tickled her, far used to her tricks to sleep a little longer. "Come on, you have to go get ready for school."

"Just five more minutes," Megan rolled to her side, stubbornly closing her eyes even though her wicked smile didn't leave her face.

"Am I going to have to drag you?" Owen playfully asked, bending over. "Because I will."

"No, dad!" Megan giggled but it was already too late. As it had often happened many times in several mornings during her entire life, her dad captured her in his arms and easily lifted his daughter, holding her in his arms like a little baby. "I'm up, I promise." The girl added, before laughing harder.

"Are you sure?" Owen teasingly rubbed her back, watching as Megan rested her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes, determined to fall asleep again. "What about that math test today?" He asked. "It's in school waiting for you."

"There's no math test today," Megan lied with telltale smile. "Because it's Saturday."

"Nice try," Owen chuckled, giving her a kiss on the cheek before putting Megan on the ground. "Now go get dressed. Come on…"

Minutes later, he was already in the kitchen when he saw their three youngest children coming down the stairs. He hadn't asked Megan again about her period but Amelia had told him that same morning that everything was fine and he had nothing to worry about. That talk of tampons and menstrual cycles still made Owen uncomfortable but he knew he'd have to adjust because making sure that his children felt comfortable enough to talk about anything in their own house had always been a priority to him and Amelia.

"Do you know what I think when I see eggs _and_ pancakes for breakfast?" Danny asked with a wide smile despite his sleepy voice, taking a seat on the kitchen table.

"What?" Owen asked, taking his eyes from his own plate.

"Better practice performance," The teenager smiled widely, obviously pleased with the generous breakfast. "The coach is selecting the Tight Ends for the season after last night's game and I need to perform well. This is amazing fuel," Danny added, apparently in love with the food.

"Do you know what I think when I hear the words Tight End?" Amelia repeated his line of question with a fake smile, unable to hide her lack of enthusiasm regarding the twins playing football. "Head concussion. Brain damage. Loss of neurological function."

"That's what helmets are for, mom," Robbie came in his twin's defense as he eagerly sliced a pancake.

"Yeah, mom," Megan meddled, looking from her brothers to their mother. "Besides, without brain damage you wouldn't have a job to begin with, so why protest it?"

Owen couldn't hide his amused laughter, exchanging looks with his three children. Amelia let out a heavy sigh and quickly waved her hands in the air, accepting defeat in that outnumbered discussion while she kept busy making coffee. In that house, she would never win an argument against football.

Soon after, Owen heard the loud sound of his daughter's laughter when Robbie accidentally spilled milk all over the table, almost falling back when he attempted to get up so he wouldn't stain his uniform. Amelia's words of reprimand echoed even louder when she asked the kids to pay more attention and Owen watched the entire scene with a smile in his eyes.

And then, Robbie said something witty that made his mom go from angry to amused, taking a step forward to help him clean the table. Not too long after, the dog barged inside the kitchen through the back door, making a bigger mess when he tried to lick the spilt milk from the table and the floor. Amelia ranted while she grabbed Peanut by the collar, dragging him outside as she complained they were going to be late. Danny rushed upstairs to grab his forgotten homework and Owen found himself smiling with how ordinary and amazingly happy things always were at their house.

He looked for the car keys and minutes later, they made their way to school, dropping off the kids before driving to work. On the way there, Owen heard as Amelia happily talked about the new equipment the Neurosurgery Department had just been granted and how she planned to use it for a new Research but he was barely listening. His thoughts were again on their kids and how he loved them with all his heart. Even though their oldest sons were away getting their education, their presence was still in every fraction of his life, because to Owen his children were absolutely everything and he was capable of anything for them. Sometimes it took him a moment of shock like the previous day to remind himself of that, but Owen never doubted that everlasting truth. And he knew Amelia felt the same.

He loved his boys with his entire heart but Megan was his little princess and Owen felt more protective of his youngest child than anyone else. As Amelia had said, he wouldn't hesitate to do anything to shield their girl from all harm. And it honestly didn't matter if she was four or ten or twenty five, or if Megan was teething, learning how to ride a bike or already taking her SATs. Because Owen knew that no matter how things seemed to change, his love for the amazing daughter Amelia had given him would forever remain the same.


	19. The Right Shepherd - Part One

My Boys Drabbles – The Right Shepherd (Part One)

Owen walked into the house, shrugging off his coat to remove the droplets of rain and hanging it before he finally made his way into the living room.

"Hey guys," He smiled affectionately at three of his sons who were gathered by the coffee table, apparently playing a game on a tablet.

"Hey, dad," Thomas lifted his head and greeted his father with a grin. "We're setting our teams for the online MLS league. Do you want in? I can send an invitation to your email."

"Sure," Owen ruffled his head and walked past Thomas and the twins, towards the back of the house. He had been at the hospital for more than thirty straight hours, working on back to back surgeries after an unusual heavy storm in the city had led the way to many accidents, including a lot of MVCs.

"Daaad," Megan smiled broadly at him from the kitchen table, where she was sitting doing her homework. "You're home!"

Owen was exhausted from the long work hours but welcomes like that made everything in life worth it.

"Hey, kiddo, what are you doing there?" He went around to the eight year old girl and gave her a kiss on the head.

"We're learning about the atmosphere in school," Megan informed him with pride. "Did you know the air we breathe has more nitrogen gas than anything else? Even more than oxygen?"

"Really?" Owen pretended the information was news to him and gave Megan one more approving look before turning around to see his wife coming out of the pantry. "Babe," He greeted her, too tired to say more.

Amelia was carrying what looked like a box of uncooked pasta and Owen wasn't surprised. She wasn't much of a cook nor did she like to take chances in the kitchen but seeing as he was pulling long hours at work, she had obviously stepped up to make dinner, something that was usually left up to him. But having been so exhausted, at that moment, Owen couldn't be more grateful.

"Did you get to scrub in on that bowel perforation?" Amelia turned on the stove to heat water as she spoke to him, clearly interested. "They were taking him to the OR when I left earlier today," She explained.

"Yeah, I did, but the guy didn't pull through, though," Owen added with conformation but at the moment he wasn't focused on how he was feeling. Something in his wife's face had caught his attention and he couldn't quite tell what.

"Well, I am sure you will feel better after you eat," Amelia tried to cheer him up, but her smile didn't seem to be as happy as it usually was.

Owen had sat on the chair beside Megan but seeing as the girl was devoted to her homework, he got up and took a few strides around the kitchen isle, approaching his wife.

"Do you need some help?" Owen asked, eager to get dinner ready as soon as possible. He was exhausted and on top of that, very hungry.

"No, I got it," For the first time Amelia looked up to meet his eyes and Owen noticed she was being honest. "Go take a shower, this won't be long."

"Okay," Owen agreed with a head nod but after turning around to leave, he made his way back and gave his wife a kiss on the forehead, unconsciously compelled to comfort her, even though she had given him no reason to. "You smell nice," He added, feeling the familiar scent of her hair and the fresh skin on her face.

"I wish I could say the same about you," Amelia teased him with a coy smile, her dimples dancing on her cheeks as she gave him one of her usual witty comebacks.

"You're hopeless," Owen chuckled and made his way upstairs, after giving Megan a quick wink.

Not too long after, Lucas left his room and joined the family downstairs, being summoned by Amelia to set the dinner table. When Owen finished his shower, dinner was ready and they ate together but Owen listened more than talked during the meal, finding it hard to concentrate on anything after being awake and alert for so many hours.

He was already fast asleep later that night when, after making sure all kids were in their respective beds, Amelia joined him in their room. Owen didn't wake up when she walked in and changed clothes, grabbing one of his pajama shirts that reached all the way to her mid thighs. But when the mattress softly moved as she lay down opposite to him, Owen became partially conscious.

He opened his eyes in the darkness as she moved and saw her back turned to him while his wife was busy making herself comfortable and pulling the covers. Owen had nearly dozed off again when almost a minute later he was suddenly startled by the touch of her arms firmly wrapping around his stomach. Without a word, Amelia buried her face between his chest and shoulder, holding him so tightly that Owen couldn't help regaining full conscienceness again.

"Babe?" His voice sounded hoarse as he forced himself back from sleep. "What is it? What's wrong?"

After so many years of marriage, Owen knew his wife too well to identify it when she was feeling down. Whenever Amelia was insecure or genuinely sad about something, she would seek comfort in his hug, exactly as she was doing at that moment. He had noticed the dark shadow in her eyes and the lack of her usual liveliness from the moment he'd found her at the kitchen earlier that day. Owen meant to ask, but he'd been so tired from work that sleep defeated him completely when he'd gone to their room after dinner.

Amelia didn't answer his question, making Owen was even more startled. His wife was usually very talkative and when something was bothering her, she wouldn't hesitate to let him know. The fact that she apparently wasn't willing to speak was a little alarming.

"Amelia?" Owen tried again, gently shifting a little to his side, encouraging her to move too.

"I had a really bad day today," She finally confessed, unable to lift her head. Amelia didn't want to find the love and comfort that surely would be in his eyes because the neurosurgeon knew she'd break down when faced with them.

"Yeah?" Owen used the arm she had snuggled on to to rub her back, while his free hand made its way to her head, gently trying to make her look up at him. "What happened?"

He supposed she was talking about one of the cases they'd been involved in for the past two days. Owen had been so busy with the ER influx that he hadn't had the time to check on all the admitted patients' outcomes. Maybe a tragic loss that hit too close to home would have triggered emotions in his wife. It wouldn't be the first time. But as she started to speak, Owen woke up completely, surprised by the content of her words.

"Bailey called me to her office today," Amelia confessed, pulling her face up from his body but still avoiding his gaze. Staring directly at the wall on the side of the room, the neurosurgeon continued, "She's been asking me for a private meeting for two weeks but now I finally managed to clear up some time to see her. I was pretty sure we'd only have our default meeting to check the latest updates for every department," Owen knew what she was talking about because as Head of Trauma, he often had those meetings with the Chief of Surgery. "Anyway, we spent nearly two hours discussing a lot of things regarding the Neurosurgery department and…" Amelia's voice trailed off, as if the following words were too difficult for her to let out. "Our conversation didn't go exactly as I imagined," She concluded, unable to say what she'd originally meant to share with him.

"How so?" Owen asked with interest, wondering why his wife seemed to be so bothered and affected.

"Bailey started showing me all these statistics and…" Amelia stopped again, recalling the events of that day. "She kept going on and on about the mortality rate in my service," Slowly, Owen noticed how her voice got angrier. He could also distinguish outrage in her tone. When it was obvious she was getting worked up, Amelia subtly let go of him, immediately sitting up on the bed with her legs folded, finally searching for his eyes in the darkness. "Well, basically, she kept going on about _my_ mortality rate," Amelia confessed, still unable to believe what she'd been told.

"What about it?" Owen patiently asked.

"Well, I have about a thirty four percent higher mortality rate when compared to my subordinates and twenty six percent higher when compared to other neurosurgery services in the west coast," Amelia cited, hating to be caught so off guard by her boss.

Owen took a deep breath, analyzing the content of her words and after a few seconds, frowned in disbelief.

"Babe, you only operate on ticking bombs no one else touches," He loyally declared, knowing he was being completely honest. "It's easy to have a low mortality rate when you spend your entire time inserting shunts," Owen rationalized, knowing he had a valid point. Some of the surgeons in Amelia's department barely dealt with ER cases, let alone risky tumor removals, focusing instead on basic routine procedures. "But from the moment you chose to run the trial on your new method, Bailey knew you'd be having only large tumors as your elective surgeries, instead of aneurysms and lumbar taps. It's to be expected that a larger portion of your patients die when compared to others but not because you are not doing your job well, but because their problem was more life threatening and prone to have complications than everyone else's," He finalized, looking deeply into her eyes. "And judging by the kind of patients you've been taking in the past years, thirty four percent is a really low rate if you ask me."

Amelia nodded her head, thankful for his loyalty and mostly for his clarity about the situation.

"Exactly," She agreed, absolutely sure there was no reason to feel insecure about her abilities as a surgeon. The fact that she operated on high risk patients with conditions that no one else wanted to touch would obviously make her statistics alter from the regular pattern. Because her skills were also not average. Amelia was too far ahead of most colleagues in her field. "I agree with everything you said and that's what I told Bailey."

Pretty much every patient Amelia had electively operated on for the past two years had been carrying a death sentence when they'd knocked on her door. The fact that a large portion of them had survived, even if statistically below the hospital rate, meant success and not failure. For months she'd been carefully constructing a trial to compare her technique with the classic ones, respecting every research policy, exhaustively consulting the board ethics committee and taking every precaution she possibly could to make sure that no rules were being broken and no harm was being done. Owen knew that trial had been particularly meaningful to his wife because it tested the method she'd developed while operating on his own mother, years before.

Earlier that month, one of the most prestigious surgical journals had accepted her paper and it was due to be published very soon. Amelia had been so proud of it that she felt like the talk with Bailey earlier that day had only led her to feel like the universe was raining on her parade.

"Well if I see it and you see it," Owen frowned harder, confused as to where Amelia was heading, "then why doesn't Bailey see it? Why is she making a big deal out of this?"

"It's not her that's fussing about this," Amelia shared, taking a deep breath to control her feelings, "and it's not the board either. It's the hospital administration, the suit and tie assholes who deal with the numbers and only speak math."

"That's stupid and insane," Owen refuted. He'd been Chief of Surgery and it didn't surprise him that bureaucrats would be pestering about numbers and statistics but he'd been very firm getting them off his back in his years as chief. "Why hasn't Bailey done anything?"

"She has." Amelia said, scratching her forehead in frustration. "That's what she told me, at least. I was as surprised as you are now when I heard about all of this today," The neurosurgeon added, feeling betrayed. "Apparently, they've been presenting this to her and demanding changes for quite a while now and she's been cooking the situation, trying to solve it on her own but it didn't work out."

"What does that mean?" Owen raised his eyebrows in question. "What does she expect you to do, then?"

"Well, Bailey didn't say it with these exact words but," Amelia let out a heavy sigh, reluctant to believe that all of that was happening. "I think they want me to stop performing the surgeries I've been doing and go back to doing more basic, less liable stuff. They are using the rates to put pressure on her and force the change."

"That's absurd," Owen reacted, unable to believe the atrocity the administrators were committing. "This is why accountants do math and doctors do medicine! Any hospital can take care of aneurysms and AVMs. But no one else can do what you've been doing," He shook his head in disagreement, finding it hard to believe the corporative world was actually making itself more important than medicine. "If they make you do that it's a big loss not only to the hospital but also to the people you could have been helping. It's a loss to science altogether."

"I told Bailey exactly that," Amelia said. "And she agreed. But at this point it's not up to her anymore. The directors have proved to her using numbers that treating aneurysms is more profitable than making advances and publishing papers. They don't care about progress. All they care about is money. It's all about the dollar."

Owen processed the information, trying to make some sense out of it.

He couldn't.

"What did you tell her, then?" He asked curiously, finding it hard to believe his wife would settle for taking a step back in her career so easily because of invalid reasons like finances and statistics. "Bailey, I mean? If she didn't ask you to stop doing what you've been doing you must have told her something, then."

"Owen," Amelia's voice changed completely, becoming void of all the anger and outrage that had been present in it as she narrated the details of her meeting to hwr husband. When she'd spoken his name again, the tone she'd used had much more to do with the initial vulnerability and insecurity Owen had first identified in her that night. "How would you feel if I stepped back as chief of Neuro?"

"How would I feel?" Owen found her question particularly strange. He had no place having any opinion regarding that, because only Amelia could know what was better for herself. And he would support any decision she made. "I don't have to feel anything about it, babe, if you're not happy with the job then quit."

"Yeah but it would reduce a big chunk of my salary," Amelia pointed out, justifying why she'd asked him how he'd feel in the first place.

"Amelia," Owen playfully rolled his eyes at her. "We've just spent the last ten minutes condemning making a decision based on money and that's what you're concerned about?" He stretched out his hand, gently squeezing hers. They both earned excellent annual incomes and they put most of it on safe applications to make sure their five kids would be taken care of in case anything happened to them. It wouldn't change their everyday lives in any way if from there on, they had to start saving less. "If the job is not making you happy anymore then step back."

"And do what?" Amelia asked irritably, hating to be that frustrated but immediately realizing she was unfairly taking it out on him. "I'm sorry," Amelia apologized for the harsh tone, knowing her husband had nothing to do with the awful professional position she'd found herself in. "I just hate this so much. I was excited about this trial I've just published. I wanted to start another one to analyze and compare long term outcomes but obviously I won't get to do that. I can't go from flying that high to standing back where I first started, you know?" She looked her husband in the eye, desperately in need of advice. "I don't know what to do. I love working at Grey Sloan, I love the people there and I've spent so many good years at that hospital… Doing this trial was so motivating and I hate knowing that I'll lose it."

"Has Bailey said anything about you having to give up your position?" Owen frowned, finding it weird. It didn't make sense. "Or are the administrators butting their heads where they don't belong now?" He added, knowing that such decisions as who was to be chief or not had nothing to do with the accounting.

"No, they don't care about any of that. As long as I am bringing more money it doesn't matter to them if I am at the bottom or at the top. But if I have to stop doing what I do and stop being a reference, how will I look my subordinates in the eyes and inspire them to be better? To try harder? I honestly can't see myself working under someone else after being Head of department for so long, but I also don't want a job that doesn't motivate me." Amelia explained, also trying to make sense of how she felt. She breathed in and out for long seconds and then finally looked back at her husband again. "How did you do it?" Amelia asked, knowing Owen had once stepped down from being Chief of Surgery to resume a less prestigious position at the hospital.

"I had a very good reason to give it up," He smiled, rubbing her thigh with affection, obviously meaning her. Right after Derek had died, Owen had gone back to the army and once back in Seattle, he'd rejected his position as chief to focus more on his personal life.

Amelia gave him a half smile amidst the anguish she was feeling.

"I don't know what to do. What should I do?"

Owen looked sympathetically at her, imagining how confused and upset she must have been feeling. He knew Amelia was an overachiever and she wasn't used to failure, especially in her professional career. Her personal life had had bumps down the road for too long, despite being well established now.

But her career had been untouchable since the first day she'd gotten out of medical school. Amelia had always taken a step knowing what the next one would be and that had helped her feel like she still had some control over things because her reputation as a surgeon had been built and solidified by her own hard work and merit. That was something no one could ever take away from her. Knowing she was good and recognized in her field added to her self esteem. And now a familiar door was closing on her face after so many years of loyal devotion and hard work, making Amelia feel stabbed in the back.

"I think you already know what you want to do." Owen wisely said. He had no idea what decision Amelia would make but he was pretty sure that his wife had subconsciously already decided. She could either continue being Head of department while doing more common procedures or she could step down and let someone else to try and deal with the board and the administration in order to repair the damage. "Now you only need to gather the courage to actually do it."

Amelia let out a heavy sigh, carefully considering his words. She lay down again, still debating with herself what choice would be the best and how that could affect her personal life and her family.

"I am sorry that I woke you," She added with sincerity, once again looking for his warmth beneath the covers. "I know you're exhausted and I should've let you sleep."

"I am surprised you were able to keep this to yourself until now," Owen jokingly replied, looking at her with loving devotion in his eyes. He knew Amelia had a hard time keeping things to herself, especially when he was around.

"Don't make fun of it," She protested, feeling slightly guilty for letting the events of that day affect her so much.

"I know, babe, I am sorry," Owen rolled to her side and rubbed her arm affectionately while planting a kiss on the top of her head. "But I am glad you talked to me and got things off your chest. Try to get some rest now. Things always look better in the morning."

Amelia breathed out heavily through the nose, showing how much she doubted she would feel better about that situation any time soon. Owen was already closing his eyes to finally embark on the restoring sleep he needed so much when he heard her whispering in the dark with a broken voice.

"Owen, can you hold me?" Amelia sheepishly asked, feeling bad to be disturbing him from his sleep once again.

But Owen wasn't mad. Rolling from his back to his side, he firmly wrapped one arm around his wife's waist, pulling her back against his chest while he dug his face in her amazing locks of dark brown hair.

"It's okay to be upset about this," He reassured her, breathing her in to feel the familiar scent of shampoo. "You'll be fine, babe. You will," Owen added, not surprised when she turned around in his arms and surrounded his torso with her arm, clinging to him as if her life depended on it. "I got your back," He added with a smile, running his hand through the inside of her shirt, feeling the softness of her skin with his open palm. "Whatever happens."

"I don't want things to change," Amelia confessed against his chest, being completely honest. Owen was the only person in the world she allowed to witness her have a moment of weakness. She hated that one conversation and hospital policy were making her doubt her entire career plans. It made her feel more vulnerable and exposed than she could have ever predicted. Being the best at her job was something that had always made her feel strong and powerful. And now that they were forcing her to stop doing what she loved, she felt like all that recognition and status were suddenly being washed down the drain. Amelia had no doubt she was an outstanding surgeon and yet she would likely have to go back to doing the work of an average one.

Owen kissed her forehead, showing her he understood and as a response, tightened his grip around her.

"Then we won't ever leave this bed again," He proposed with a lighthearted tone. "We'll stay here for the rest of our lives."

"That is actually the best proposition I heard today," Amelia confessed, feeling tears accumulating in her eyes. They weren't tears of sadness about her career, though. They were the emotional response of her heart to the amazing realization that even though she loved her career, if things changed, she could always make a way around it. But the one thing she wasn't willing to change, not now or ever, was the incredible person lying down beside her. "Will you still love me if I am not a hot shot surgeon anymore?" She gently pulled apart, looking into his eyes with a sad smile on her face. "If instead of pushing through I settle down for doing the ordinary work?"

"The ordinary work still saves lives and makes a difference," Owen replied wisely, showing her the bigger picture. It was no less honor doing routine procedures and common work. "Besides, I'd still love you even if you were unemployed, homeless and had lice," He joked, leaning in to capture her lips with his own after the sound of her laughter filled the room. Owen pulled apart and touched their foreheads, nudging his nose against hers.

"I'll stop talking now, I promise," Amelia decided, feeling a little less upset about the entire situation.

"Will you?" Owen pretended to censor her, pulling his wife closer before shutting his eyes for what he wished was a successful attempt at getting some sleep.

"Yes…" Amelia whispered against him, the smile on her lips slowly fading as she finally allowed herself to relax that evening.

.

The following morning, Amelia prepared breakfast for the kids and they all noticed she was quieter than usual, but none of them asked about her mood. After dropping Megan and the boys off at school, since Owen had gotten the morning off and planned on sleeping in, she directly made her way to Bailey's office, delaying her morning rounds for a while longer.

"Chief, do you have a second?" Amelia popped into the room after knocking and hearing the familiar sound of her boss' voice telling her to come in.

"Yes, but strictly a second," Bailey replied with her usual bossy mood, separating piles of papers into three different columns. It wasn't even nine in the morning yet and Amelia thought the woman looked like she'd been there for a while already.

"I've been carefully considering what we talked about yesterday and what you recommended," Amelia went straight to the matter, unwilling to dance around the subject she'd come to discuss.

"And?" Bailey asked with a somber voice, still separating the papers into the piles. She had told Amelia she felt like stepping back from her trial and focusing more on common work might be a good idea for a while, at least until the hospital administration started focusing on something else. "I am still trying to make them change their mind, Shepherd, but it's like trying to dry ice, you know that. They are forcing this down on me too and I've made it pretty clear I disagree with their decision to change the profile of patients you've been working with." The chief of surgery added with a sigh.

"I now you tried," Amelia replied with honesty, taking a deep breath to gather the courage to say what she'd come to say. Once the words left her mouth, what had only been a hypothetical situation she'd considered among many others would suddenly become reality and Amelia wasn't sure she was ready for it. "That's why I've decided to step down. I really can't stay here and be chief of Neuro while feeling like I am wasting my experience and knowledge when I could be making a bigger difference. I think the hospital administration will be happy with this decision and you will too, at some point. You see, it's nothing personal, I hope you understand that," Amelia added, genuinely hoping that Bailey would be able to. At the sound of her words, the Chief of Surgery finally lifted her eyes from the desk, immediately stopping from sorting the sheets. Amelia noticed the surprise stamped on Bailey's face, but it didn't prevent her from adding what she'd finally gone there to say. "I'm telling you this as my two week notice."

"Shepherd," Bailey frowned, unwilling to believe that. She had been reluctant to tell her chief of Neurosurgery about the directors' decision because she knew that Amelia feeling betrayed and unmotivated, leading her to want to step down was a possibility, but she really had thought and hoped that the neurosurgeon wouldn't do it. "Are you telling me you're handing over the position of head of department just like that? That easily?"

"No," Amelia replied with cruel honesty. She couldn't care less about being head of department. This was way beyond that. "I am telling you I am quitting my job," Amelia managed to stay calm and steady while she said the words to the decision she'd spent most of the night awake considering. "I am going to do the two weeks if you want me to, but after that," The neurosurgeon informed, very serious and very formally, "After fourteen days I officially won't be working at Grey Sloan anymore."


	20. The Right Shepherd - Part Two

My Boys Drabbles – The Right Shepherd (Part Two)

When Owen made it back home that evening, he found his wife sitting on the couch between his two oldest sons.

"Hey, dad," Lucas greeted him, looking back to the TV right after with a grin on his face. "You have to come watch this with us."

"What are you watching?" Owen asked while taking off his coat, noticing how the three of them looked involved with the scenes on the TV.

"It's a thriller about radioactive spiders who develop super strength and try to take over the world from the human race." Thomas informed without taking his eyes off the screen, speaking very seriously.

" _What_?" Owen asked, unable to believe that was actually a movie plot. He sat down beside Lucas and looked at the screen, horrified. "This is ridiculous," He added after two minutes, noticing the awful visual effects of what looked like a B type movie. "Why are you even watching that?"

"Because it's hilarious," Amelia explained, almost offended that her husband didn't understand.

"Alright, then," Owen replied with a chuckle, getting up as a clear indication that he'd given up the movie. Seeing as his wife was still looking at him, he added, "When the Oscar worthy performance there is over, can you give me a second? I need to talk to you."

"Uh-oh," Lucas teased, seeing that even though his dad was using a lighthearted tone, he seemed serious. "Someone is in trouble," The fifteen year old added, looking provocatively at his mom.

"You're going to see the trouble when I'm back and you haven't put away those muddy soccer shoes," Amelia censored him struggling to hide a smile and got up, following her husband to the kitchen.

She noticed the way Owen made sure their kids couldn't listen to them anymore to resume talking.

"You could have finished the movie, I wasn't going anywhere," Owen said once they were in the kichen, trying not to sound judgmental but at the same time he was glad she wasn't making him wait to have that conversation.

"It's alright, I know how it ends," Amelia leaned on the counter, watching as her husband unhooked the top button of his shirt at the same time he opened the fridge. "So what was it that you have to tell me?" She asked, nervously. Even though she was in a good mood, Amelia had spent the entire day wondering if she'd made the right call that morning. She suspected the reality of the situation hadn't sunken in yet.

"I heard this rumor at the hospital today," Owen squinted conspicuously at his wife, obviously knowing more than he was sharing. "People were saying you resigned."

"Yeah?" Amelia couldn't deny it and guilt was stamped all over her face. She'd meant to talk to him once her husband got home but obviously gossip had reached him much faster. That had definitely not been the way she'd wanted him to find out.

"So, is it true?" Owen asked, putting two loaves of bread he was going to use for a sandwich back on the table. "Did you really quit?"

"I was going to talk to you, I just…"

"You told me you were going to step down as Head of Neuro," He interrupted her with a heavy frown, looking at her with a thousand questions in his eyes. "What happened?"

Amelia took a deep breath, trying to rationally think about what she was going to say.

"I spent the entire night thinking about what we discussed before you fell asleep," She opted for telling him everything. "I tried picturing myself as head of department, doing something that I wasn't the least motivated with," She nodded her head in obvious disagreement. "I realized I couldn't. And then I also figured I couldn't step down and just watch someone else take over what I took years to consolidate. I can't stick around to watch that," Amelia added with sheer honesty, hoping Owen would understand.

He looked at her with a neutral expression and nodded his head in clear indication that she could go on.

"I was doing my math and I figured that with your income and our investment profits we can still afford school tuitions, insurance, bills and everything else we regularly have to pay for. I mean, of course I won't sit at home and do nothing forever, I am going back to work eventually but I just…" She was lost, confused and had no concrete plan to offer. The idea of quitting had scared the hell out of her but Amelia had hoped with every fiber of her being that Owen would understand and support her decision. "I can't make myself smaller because the people in charge have small minds, you know?" She defensively wrapped her arms around herself, visibly distressed. "Owen, why aren't you saying anything?" Amelia noticed his prolonged silence. "Are you upset?"

"Upset?" He looked at her as if that made absolute no sense. "Of course I am not upset. I am proud of you for respecting yourself enough and doing what you thought was right," He affirmed with conviction. Owen then dropped the knife he'd been holding to prepare his dinner and took two steps in her direction, rubbing her arms affectionately with his hands. "I just wished you would have discussed it with me first, but…"

"I wanted to but I was afraid that if I didn't do it in the spur of the moment, I wouldn't ever," She interrupted him. Not talking to him about it first was the part that bothered her the most. "But you told me you'd support whichever decision I made and that helped me do what I thought was best."

"I had no idea you were thinking about quitting," Owen added with a smile, looking at her with widened eyes, trying to justify why he was so surprised. It didn't mean he didn't support her decision, it just meant that he'd been caught off guard and hadn't had time to process it yet.

"I wasn't, I swear," Amelia reinforced, needing him to believe her. "The thought didn't cross my mind until late last night."

"It's okay, babe," Owen's hand traveled from her arm to her face and he held her chin delicately, forcing her to make eye contact with him. "Don't be so distressed, I am not mad at you, I am just processing this whole thing and trying to consider possible outcomes to this decision."

"What do you mean?" Amelia asked with heavy frown.

"Well, I admire you for taking action. It wasn't easy, I know, but I am afraid you might have made it a little too quickly," Owen explained, as usual the most rational of the two. "I know how difficult these bureaucrats can be and once they start throwing in numbers, it's pretty much game over. So the chances of you keeping your surgeries and your trial were virtually nonexistent." He listed, absolutely sure of what he was saying. "But I am afraid for you that… I don't know," Owen hesitated, unwilling to make her doubt herself but disagreeing with the way she'd rushed into her decision. "You're going to miss it. The hospital, the people."

"I know," Amelia let out a heavy sigh. Working at Grey Sloan was much more than just doing her job, it was also about being around the people she loved and trusted. She was definitely going to miss her routine. "But I can still see Maggie and everyone else outside the hospital." Amelia pondered, showing him she'd taken all that into account. "I can't say the same about my research and my patients. So if I stayed, I couldn't go forward with my career."

"You're absolutely right," Owen said, proud of his wife for being so strong when faced with a horrible situation. He looked at her with admiration in his eyes. Once he'd thoroughly scanned her entire body, noticing she was wearing only shorts and a fitted T shirt, his face approved of her even more. "So, if you don't have a job anymore…" Owen pondered, inspecting her face with a smile. "Does this mean you're a house wife now?" He joked, slowly running his hand from her chin across her neck to finally close it behind her head, pulling her forward very suggestively.

Amelia noticed the malice stamped in his eyes and she couldn't help smiling, feeling grateful that Owen had understood her decision and was on board with it.

"Yeah, I am officially unemployed," She replied, comfortable enough to make fun of her predicament.

"Who would have guessed that _you_ ," Owen approached her face, touching his nose to hers as he gazed deeply into her eyes, "the mighty neurosurgery chief, the brilliant, legendary ASH method author…" He exaggerated, making her laugh, "would turn out to be promoted to soccer mom," Owen teased his wife, wrapping his free arm around her waist to prevent her from escaping.

"Soccer mom?!" Amelia raised one eyebrow at him, trying to seem offended but failing miserably. Owen leaned over and captured her neck with his lips, kissing her possessively. Amelia took one hand to his head, running her fingers through his soft blonde locks while the other grabbed the collar of his shirt, pulling him nearer.

Owen smiled when she stood on the tips of her toes and aimed for his lips, kissing him with abandon. He easily lifted her from the ground, tightening his grip around her waist.

"If this is how you're going to greet me every night when I come home from work, I am already fully on board with your decision," Owen teased her more, finally lowering Amelia enough so her feet would touch the kitchen floor.

"I'm never going to hear the end of it, am I?" She rolled her eyes playfully, watching as he let out a heartfelt chuckle that proved she was right. "You're hopeless."

"I am happy for you, babe," Owen confessed. Even though he was smiling and engaging her in playful banter, he knew she'd just made a very serious decision and it was important they were both very aware of that. "Are you going to stick around for your two week notice?"

"I don't have to," Amelia said, turning around to grab the bread loaves Owen had left unattended on the counter. "I mean, Bailey said she'd let me off the hook since she is going to appoint Edwards for the position. To be honest, I prefer to step down immediately than to stick around torturing myself with my new reality," Amelia let out a heavy sigh, adding cheese to the bread after eating a slice. Owen knew how much she hated goodbyes, often choosing to cut ties at once when she had to. "So I've decided to not go back. You can bring home my stuff for me, can't you?"

"Whoa, this is really happening," Owen realized, taking the sandwich she'd finished making and now handed over. "I can't believe you're not going to work with me tomorrow," He added before taking the first bite.

"I can't either," Amelia replied, opening the fridge to put back the stuff they'd used. "I have no idea what I'm going to do with my time," She smiled broadly, trying to see the silver lining of the situation.

"You can do anything you want," Owen said casually, focused on the sandwich.

"Exactly," Amelia looked from his hands to his face, smiling with a different brightness in her eyes. "I can do _anything_ I want."

.

As usual, Amelia woke up before Owen the following morning. They decided to wait to tell the kids about her new professional situation until it was finally settled and she had already signed her resignation. So no one understood when they saw their mom wearing casual clothes during breakfast the following day.

Amelia told them she was going to take a few days off to focus on paperwork, which wasn't entirely a lie. After Owen drove the five of them to school, Amelia started to think about ways she could keep herself busy while at least doing something useful. Finding it weird to be alone at the house on an average Thursday morning, she set out to reorganize her entire closet. Amelia spent hours doing it and what it felt like an eternity later, she checked her clock.

It was still eleven am.

Telling herself she should at least cook something for lunch, the neurosurgeon realized she could very well enjoy that energy streak and organize the entire pantry. But, half way through it, Amelia got bored and regretted her decision, leaving things unattended even though she knew Owen was likely to be mad at the way she'd put everything out of place.

Amelia spent the entire afternoon scrolling through the channels on the living room TV until it was finally time to pick up her youngest kids from school. That routine repeated itself for the following weekdays and one week after quitting her job, Amelia was already bored out of her mind from being at home.

On a particularly cold Friday afternoon, she came home after dropping Megan off at Maggie's, where she would have a sleepover with Claire, the thoracic surgeon's daughter. Thomas and the twins had gone to the Wilson-Karev household and Owen would pick them up after work. With nothing left to do other than domestic chores, Amelia went upstairs with an empty basket in her hands, planning to collect all the dirty laundry from the upstairs bathrooms.

Knowing very well that her oldest son was often prone to leaving things scattered around the mess that was his room, Amelia entered it without thinking twice but the scream of surprise she let out made her drop the basket almost immediately.

"Lucas, what the hell!" She managed to say at the same time the fifteen year old instinctively closed his laptop screen.

She had completely ignored the possibility that her son might have been at home, imagining he would be at soccer practice like the previous days of the week, so she hadn't knocked. Amelia had imagined doing many discoveries while at home in her work hiatus, but catching her fifteen year old son watching a scene where a naked woman with large breasts was twirling around in positions that defied physics certainly hadn't been on her list.

"What are you doing?" She asked the question, even though it seemed pretty obvious.

"My soccer practice got cancelled," Lucas replied, supposing his mother was asking why he was at home at that hour. "It was snowing too badly and we couldn't use the field outside."

"You know I wasn't asking that!" Amelia gave him a hard look, hoping he would show any sign of embarrassment.

"I was trying to ignore it in the hope we both could pretend this didn't happen," Lucas added with an evil grin and Amelia wondered why in the world she had ever bothered to imagine Lucas could be embarrassed. He was the most shameless person she had ever met and Amelia had no idea whether she should laugh or be upset about the situation.

"You know that's never going to happen," Amelia stared at him a strict look on her face. "Where did you get the video?"

"Mom," Lucas looked at her as if she was telling a joke. "There is a thing called email."

"There is a thing called no laptop for you if you don't tell me."

"Are you punishing me for being a teenager who is curious about sex?" Lucas played the low card, knowing he was hitting a nerve. "I was just opening my email, there's no way I could have known what the content was. I thought you and dad said there was no subject we couldn't talk about."

"Talk about," Amelia went to his computer and unplugged it from the wire. "Not watch. Where did you get that stuff?"

"Mom…"

"Where, Lucas?" Amelia confiscated his laptop in a clear threat.

"One of the dudes in the soccer team has an older brother who is in college and he e-mailed it to the rest of us. I can delete if you want."

"You have some nerve," Amelia let out a heavy sigh, putting the computer back on the desk. "Do you realize you have an eight year old sister?" She wanted to slap him for being so naïve and clueless. "That, instead of me, it could have been her walking in here? Or your brothers?"

"My brothers would probably want to watch it too," Lucas answered with a smile. "Are you going to ground me?" He asked, with a semi serious tone.

Amelia let out a heavy sigh. She knew he was a teenager and how hormones could affect them at that age, right around the time when questions about sex and their own body started to arise. Lucas was particularly susceptible to girls and that had never been a secret. The fact that her fifteen year old son didn't seem to have a problem talking to his mom about any subject made her feel slightly less anxious because it really did look like he wasn't hiding anything.

"What else have you been watching?" She asked, looking deeply into his eyes. "Are you going on websites?"

"No, mom, I swear! The guys send pictures and sometimes videos but that's it." He replied with a sheepish look. "Besides… You and dad put filters on the wifi so even though I tried, I couldn't."

"Lucas!" Amelia breathed out through her nose, completely terrified at how easily he gave it all out. At the same time Lucas was fifteen and she wanted to think he was too young to be curious or interested in sex, she thought back about her own fifteen year old self. The memory scared the hell out of her. "Are you having sex?" She straightforward asked, knowing her son wouldn't lie to her. "I mean, have you had sex already?"

"I wish," Lucas replied, with a corner smile.

"Oh my God, why can't you be a regular teenager and be embarrassed about these things?" Amelia playfully slapped the back of his head and then ran her fingers through her hair in frustration. She had prepared herself for dealing with a lying, scheming teenager like herself but never in the world could she have been ready for someone like Lucas, who would just say things straight to her face with complete trust and no shame. "The amount of information your generation has access to scares the hell out of me. Why can't you just do something ordinary like watch Netflix?" She mumbled, more to herself than him.

"Because I am chilling," Lucas replied with a laugh, tearing down all of Amelia's defenses as she couldn't control a loud laughter.

"I am not prepared to acknowledge that you're growing up and discovering sex. You're too young," She confessed with total honesty.

"Well, at least we've had the talk before," Lucas said, referring to the time their parents had sit him and Thomas down to have an honest conversation about the subject, right before they'd started high school. The topic had never been taboo at their house and Lucas didn't feel weird to talk about it with his mom. She and his dad had carefully explained a lot about sexually transmitted diseases and how important it was they respected the other person. And they had made sure the two boys knew it was okay to ask if they had any doubts. "You know I ask you questions whenever I am not sure about something."

"Yeah," Amelia let out a heavy sigh, nervously trying to adjust to that reality. Having teenagers in the house was harder than having toddlers. "Promise me you will always talk to me and you'll never lie."

"I'll never lie," The boy dutifully did as requested, looking at his mom with a proud smile. "Thanks, mom."

"For what?" Amelia frowned, bending over to get the abandoned basket.

"For being awesome and always letting me talk to you," He replied getting up to give her a hug. Lucas knew that most of his friends had parents who ignored everything that happened in their kids' lives or simply didn't understand them. He was thankful that his parents weren't at all like that. The fifteen year old knew he was free to talk about anything at home without being judged for his thoughts or feelings. "I love you."

"I love you too," Amelia replied with a smile, hugging him back. She had no idea where that touching confession was coming from, but that didn't mean she welcomed it any less. "Now instead of watching those family videos," She suggested with sarcasm, making Lucas laugh, "why don't you give me a hand with this basket of laundry?" Amelia asked, happy when Lucas stood up, obviously willing to join her on the chore.

.

Later that evening, after Owen had made it back from work and picked up the boys, they ordered takeout for dinner. Once she was done eating, Amelia threw herself on the living room couch, eager to relax her mind. The twins were playing with a portable videogame a few feet away from her while Lucas and Thomas were torn between playing the game or talking to their friends on their phones.

"No fantastic horror movies tonight?" Owen sat down next to her, giving his wife a playful look.

"Nope," Amelia answered with a smile. "Now I am in the soap opera phase of my life," She joked, "I had no idea there were so many soaps in the afternoon. Did you know that one has a neurosurgeon who's performed a brain transplant?" Amelia added with shinning eyes, clearly approving of the insane plot. "I doubt the hospital administration would force that guy into going back to doing aneurysm repairs even if he didn't bring in profit," She laughed out loud, making fun of her own predicament.

Her ability to laugh at herself without being degrading was one of her qualities Owen loved the most. He bent down, giving her a quick peck on the lips as Amelia shifted upwards to get closer, resting her head on his legs.

"Do you know what happened today?" She nearly whispered, seeing the boys were too distracted talking to each other and playing on the opposite side of the room.

"What?" Owen asked with interest, idly running a hand from her shoulder to her stomach.

"I walked in on Lucas watching a sex video."

" _What_?" Owen raised his voice, inadvertently catching the boys' attention.

Amelia laughed and focused her attention back to the TV, dismissing the boys. When she was sure they weren't listening again, with a low voice she narrated the events of that afternoon, seeing Owen become as terrified as she'd been.

"I can't honestly say I am surprised…" Owen nodded his head in denial, letting out a heavy sigh. Lucas had always shown signs that he wouldn't be the easiest teenager, especially in matters involving the opposite sex.

"I know exactly what you mean," Amelia replied with honesty.

"Though I can't really blame him," Owen added with a smirk. "It would be hypocritical to point a finger and pretend like that every guy his age doesn't have boiling hormones and acts on it."

"Thomas doesn't," Amelia said, immediately looking over the room and finding the image of her fourteen year old. His silver blonde hair, crystal blue eyes and long eyelashes made him look like an angel, not to mention he had the sweetest and most caring personality Amelia had ever seen on a person. He was the image of purity and it was hard to imagine him being corrupted by the viciousness in the world.

"Yeah, he doesn't," Owen added with sarcasm, rolling his eyes. "He is a teenage boy, babe. Don't think he is the reincarnation of a saint because he's far from it too. Well… maybe not as bad as Lucas…" Owen shrugged, realizing later he was rambling. "What I mean is, just last week I went to pick him up from tennis practice and he was kissing a girl by the court."

"What?" Amelia looked up at him, a heavy frown on her forehead. That was news to her.

"They're growing up faster than we can catch up." Owen summed up.

"I always thought Tommy would come home one day and say he and Kate were officially dating, confirming what everyone already expected… I honestly can't understand what goes on between those two," Amelia confessed, referring to Alex Karev's fourteen year old daughter who had been best friends with Thomas ever since they were little and also his childhood sweetheart.

"Yeah," Owen agreed with one last look at their sons before he focused on the TV again. "Me too."

.

When Owen came out of the bathroom later that night he found his wife lying on their bed with a distinctive look on her face.

"Amelia?" He called her out, curious to find out what was on her mind. "Why do you have that look on your face?" Owen asked, seeing her mischievous expression.

"You know what," Amelia bit her bottom lip and stared at him while Owen went to bed. By the sound of her voice, Owen was pretty sure she was about to say something dirty. "I was thinking to myself about the events of today… Trying to figure out what's the connection between hormones and sex videos."

"Okay," Owen tilted his head with a heavy frown, intimidated by the way she was staring at him.

"And I couldn't," Amelia confessed, running her lustful eyes from his face through his entire body.

"What are you saying exactly?" Owen asked seconds before his wife swiftly got on top of him, straddling his hips with her legs.

"I am saying," Amelia bent over him, nipping his bottom lip very suggestively. "Maybe you and I could try to remember that, together."

"Yeah?" Owen smiled with satisfaction, very eager to find out what she had in mind.

"Do you remember when we were newlyweds and we'd go at it several times in the same night?" Amelia's lips went from his mouth to his ear before she whispered seductively. "I want to remember what that feels like… I want to be so worn out when we're done that all I can do is fall asleep out of exhaustion."

Owen swallowed hard, instinctively capturing her face between his hands, loving the sparkle of desire that was in her eyes.

"If you are asking something from me," Owen brought her face and whispered against her lips while smugly looking at her, "Then ask. Use your words," He provoked her, knowing Amelia loved seduction games.

"I'll do better than that," Amelia gave him a dirty smile full of promises. "I want to show you what I want you to do me," She got rid of his hands and grabbed his wrists possessively, forcing them against the mattress while she stared into his eyes from his top.

"And how do you suggest we do that?" Owen flirted with her, not breaking eye contact for a second. It was a fight for dominance and he knew it.

"Here is an idea I just had," Amelia skillfully moved on his top, slowly torturing him. She pulled her husband towards her by his shirt, forcing him to sit up. Then, she captured his lips on a quick kiss that was also a very inviting promise. Amelia had no clue how Owen would react to her idea but she was undoubtedly very excited about it. Looking from his lips to his eyes one last time, she confessed with a bossy voice that admitted no denials. "Let's watch a porn movie together."


	21. The Right Shepherd - Part Three

Hey guys, I am so sorry I have been completely neglecting the updates in here and using just my tumblr account instead. Here goes the latest chapters of this universe.

 **My Boys Drabbles** **– The Right Shepherd (Part Three)**

Amelia glanced sideways, amused at the heavy frown that was evident on her husband's face.

She was in their bed, sitting between his legs with her back resting against his chest as they watched an adult movie on the television. After suggesting the idea, Amelia had gone on to buy it directly from their cable provider.

"Oh my God, that looks painful…" Owen cried out, involuntarily cringing when the woman on the video twisted her hips in a way he didn't consider very organic. "Is that what you want me to do to you?" He looked from the TV to his wife's face, clearly uncomfortable with the idea.

Amelia couldn't contain a loud fit of laughter. She wasn't sure what was more amusing, the awful quality in the movie she'd randomly chosen or the expression of excruciating discomfort on Owen's face when he tried to catch up with the events of the movie.

"Well, not _that_ ," Amelia replied after she was able to breathe normally again. "That is bad quality porn," She sighed, visibly frustrated. "It's not what I had in mind."

"I can't honestly tell you what a relief it is to hear that," Owen confessed, still frowning as the guy on the video proceed to open a drawer full of things he had never seen, even in his many years working in the ER. "Okay, that's enough," He decided, taking the remote and turning off the TV.

As Owen got up to head to the bathroom, Amelia lay on the bed, visibly frustrated.

"That's not at all what I had in mind," She confessed, breathing out through her nose nervously. "It was supposed to be a fun, inspiring movie."

"You can't honestly expect me to feel inspired by a guy who has no idea what he was doing to that poor woman," Owen added judgingly, still taken aback by the experience. "She was obviously faking it the whole time."

"I just wanted some fun, rough sex!" Amelia took out her frustration by punching a pillow. "Remember when we were in Hawaii and we did it on the porch by a palm tree? I want _that_ ," She confessed, watching Owen disappear into the bathroom and leave the door opened. She slightly raised her voice so he could still hear her from the adjoined room. "I want to have to worry about an UTI afterwards… I want you to be so nasty that you'll leave me in a coma."

Owen's laughter echoed from the bathroom and soon after, he came back still drying the water on his face from brushing his teeth.

"And how do you propose I put you in a coma?" Owen asked mischievously, having fun with her frustration. "Should I hold you upside down like that guy did and drop you on your head? Because that didn't work out too well for them" He added, pointing at the TV screen with his head.

"You're so uptight," Amelia attacked him, hating to see him having fun at her expense. "It's not my fault if you can't give me what I want," She provoked, knowing she was poking the bear with a short stick by involving his male ego.

"Oh yeah?" Owen read her like a book and kept his cool, refusing to succumb to her provocation. "Maybe you need to work a little extra harder on inspiring that."

He noticed the expression of outrage that became clear on her face and after finally turning off the lights, with one swift move Owen captured her beneath him on the bed, laughing heartily at how irate she seemed to be.

"I was kidding," He reinforced, looking deeply into her eyes.

"I don't like you right now," Amelia turned her head sideways when he tried to kiss her.

Owen laughed at her stubbornness, seeing how she refused to even make eye contact with him. Determined to break her defenses, he kissed her neck with passionate longing, as one of his hands traveled slowly downwards on her body.

"I don't need more people to inspire me," He whispered in her ear, obviously still referring to the movie and the actors in it. Owen ran his fingers from her collarbone to her neck, slowly tracing a path while keeping a predatory look on his face "All I need is you," He held her jaw, staring at her lips with fire burning in his eyes, "All I _want_ is you." He whispered against her temple, noticing how his wife mellowed under his touch.

Amelia closed her eyes and inhaled heavily, unconsciously holding her breath when Owen's lips closed around her neck at the same time his hand slipped inside her underwear. Her mouth opened when she gasped for air, biting her lower lip instinctively as he claimed her body using the touch of his fingertips.

"Tell me you'd rather be doing something else now," Owen dared her, smiling at the expression of pleasure on her face. Watching his wife delirious with pleasure was infinitely more exciting than watching a random woman he didn't know through a television screen.

"You're going to pay for this," Amelia replied with a smile, unable to open her eyes. "You ruined all my fantasies." She added, moaning in protest when he stopped what he was doing.

"You talk too much," Owen stared at her at the same time he took off his shirt, not wasting another second to kiss her again. "Your problem is that you talk, and you talk…" He teased at the same time he stripped his wife of her clothes. "You keeping telling me what it is that you want," Once he was done undressing her, Owen moved her legs apart and grabbed her thighs possessively, pulling her in his direction with one fierce move. "But the truth is, you have no idea what you want," Owen bent over with a smug smile, letting Amelia feel the intensity of his desire against her nakedness.

"I don't?" Amelia asked with a dirty expression, satisfied with the turn things had taken. She was already naked beneath him and couldn't tell what he had in mind, which was insanely exciting.

" _No idea_ ," Owen repeated with a whisper, looking deeply into her eyes. His hand traveled to her face once again as he traced the outline of her lower lip with his thumb. "But I'll give it to you, anyway."

Amelia wrapped her arms around his torso, forcefully pulling him against her body. When his chest collapsed against her breasts, her hands made their way to his head, digging through his hair as she captured his lips with her own, using her tongue to seduce him at the same time Owen thrust himself into her.

After that, every thought vanished from her mind as Amelia rolled over to her side, surrounding his hips with one leg before finally losing herself completely in the arms of her husband.

.

On Saturday morning, for the first time that week Amelia didn't experience the feeling of loneliness and boredom that came with spending all day at home with nothing to do. After the amazing night she'd shared with Owen, he was being particularly attentive and sweet the following morning, insisting on preparing breakfast and pampering her.

But the light atmosphere that took over the house on Saturday quickly changed on Sunday when Owen and the five kids watched with broken hearts their beloved football team lose the final game of the conference, ending their chances to make it to the super bowl later that season.

Amelia had been present in the room as they watched the Seattle Seahawks lose by a minimum difference to their big rivals, the San Francisco 49ers. It didn't surprise her when the loud cheers were replaced by an uncomfortable silence. Everyone seemed to be in a mad mood, Owen and Lucas especially.

"Oh come on you guys, cheer up," Amelia looked around the room from one kid to the other, trying to find evidence of support but all of them kept staring at the television with a grumpy look on their faces. "It was a good season and losing is a part of playing… It happens. You can't win all the time," She wisely added, hoping that at least one of them would agree with her. "There is always next year."

At the realization that no one was going to answer, Amelia rolled her eyes impatiently.

"For the love of God, get a grip!" She stood up in the middle of the room, blocking the TV and placed both hands on her hips, looking at each of them with a judging frown. "It's just football!"

Instantly, six pairs of eyes looked up and stared at her with outrage.

"How can you say that?" Thomas asked, looking like he had been stabbed in the back.

"It's not just football!" Robbie refuted, nervously. "It feels like my life is over!"

"You can't choose love," Lucas stared at her looking like he was personally offended.

"Oh my God," Amelia rolled her eyes again, impatiently walking away, seeing as their attitude hadn't changed. And by the looks on their faces, it didn't seem like it was about to anytime soon.

A few hours later, after the kids had gone to their bedrooms, Amelia tried talking Owen into watching a movie with her, but he grumpily replied he wasn't in the mood. Noticing he wasn't at his best, Amelia opted to give him space instead but when Owen bickered about the way she'd made a mess in the pantry a few days before, reliving a subject they'd exhaustively gone through, Amelia lost all her patience.

"Grow the hell up, Owen," She furiously hissed, obviously disapproving of his bad mood. "You're upset because of a football game and now you want to take it out on me for no good reason."

"I am not upset because of the game," Owen replied, knowing he wasn't being completely honest. "I am frustrated because no matter how hard I try to keep things in order in this house, you go through every room like a hurricane and don't clean up after your mess!"

Amelia gasped, completely exasperated at his uncalled attack.

"You're out of your mind," She scowled, visibly distressed. His choice of words hadn't helped either, especially because it made Amelia feel like she was sixteen years old again, being told off by her family. The thought triggered an insane amount of anger inside herself and Amelia couldn't help furiously looking at him. "I'm not saying another word until you apologize."

"Yeah, because I'm the one who needs to apologize," Owen rolled his eyes, impatiently.

"What is that supposed to mean?" She broke her own promise to avoid talking to him, taking one step in his direction with fierce determination.

"Nothing, Amelia," Owen replied, letting out a heavy sigh. He really didn't want to let things get too far and rationally he knew they were one step away from turning that heated argument into a serious fight.

"What?" She pushed it, hating it when he turned his back and headed outside the living room, going towards the kitchen. "Damn it, Owen, is this about my job?" She asked hesitantly, unsure if she wanted to hear the answer.

"Your job?" He turned around to face her with a heavy frown, angry that she was considering that, "What the hell, of course not," Owen opened the fridge violently, in an attempt to stay away from her. "It's about you and how you turn everything into a big deal."

"I don't turn things into a big deal!" She replied, irrationally. "It's not my fault if after all this time you're still too dumb to insist on keeping things to yourself instead of talking to me about what's bothering you!" She shouted without filtering her words. Amelia hadn't wanted to fight but now they were at it, she was so furious that all she wanted to do was to get back at him.

"Stop," Owen closed the door to the fridge with more force than necessary, obviously trying to control his anger. "You are making it worse."

He knew he wasn't in his best mood and Owen acknowledged it had everything to do with the game and the loss but he wasn't going to admit it to his wife. He just wished Amelia would give him a little space so he could process all the anger without taking it out on her. But if she kept pushing him, Owen wasn't sure he would be able to control himself and he really didn't want to say or hear something one of them might regret later.

"What, so now you won't talk to me?" Amelia insisted, going in his direction even though Owen was obviously trying to avoid having that discussion. "You really won't?" She provoked him, so irritated that she didn't realize not long before she'd decided to do the same to him. "Are you too proud to admit you're acting like a child because of a football game?"

"Amelia…" Owen closed his eyes and took a deep breath. In normal circumstances, his wife wouldn't read too much into his bad mood and would respect his space, but he supposed that with the whole job situation, she was also at the edge of exploding in anger and was probably in need of one small spark to start a fire. "Back off."

Owen knew Amelia was likely to have a lot of anger kept inside from the stressful position she'd been put in and it was driving him insane with anger to realize she was taking it out on him.

Amelia took one good look at her husband, studying his expression. His upper lip had transformed into a thin line and his hardened jaw added to the pulsating vein on his forehead was a clear indication that he had reached his limit. Owen took large strides and was about to leave the kitchen when he felt something soft hitting his upper back. Turning around, he noticed his wife had thrown a bag of sandwich bread at him.

For one split second, Owen considered abandoning all his rational thoughts as to why they were having that stupid argument in the first place. It was easier and much more comfortable to go back to where she was standing and vent out on her, but he knew he absolutely shouldn't.

Giving her one last icy glare, Owen left the plastic bag exactly where it had fallen off and walked out of the kitchen.

Amelia noticed the condescending look he gave her after noticing the bread, as if reprimanding a stubborn child and that added to her frustration. She knew that throwing something at him was childish and absolutely beneath her, but Amelia had been so frustrated and irritated that he was refusing to talk and that she improvised, grabbing the first thing she'd seen and throwing it to get his attention. Unconsciously, she had probably been hoping for a fight.

The neurosurgeon forced herself to take deep breaths and calm her head before going upstairs. It was nearly midnight and she hoped the kids hadn't heard them. The last thing they needed was to distress their children for no reason. And at the same time Amelia knew that she was too angry to fall asleep, she didn't want to postpone going to her own room letting Owen believe that she was avoiding him out of fear or guilt.

When she made it upstairs, she noticed the bed was empty but the light was turned on inside the closet. Supposing he was there, Amelia took off the pants she had on and unhooked her bra, taking it off beneath the shirt she was wearing.

Owen got out of the closet already dressed in his pajamas and when he spotted her clothes thrown on the armchair of their room, he rolled his eyes impatiently. Amelia spotted the evident expression of disapproval on his face and she rejoiced in it, regretting not making a bigger mess with the single intent of adding to his anger.

She was absolutely sure that while it was up to Owen, he would remain in that sullen silence, ignoring her completely. Amelia hated it. She rolled over to her own side of the bed, determined to face away from him but her back accidentally touched his as she turned around.

Amelia instantly moved forward, getting away from his touch. But one second later, she felt a strong arm wrapping around her waist as her face was captured in the darkness of the room.

It took her a fraction of a second longer than usual to realize Owen was kissing her with violent sweetness. Amelia had been taken completely off guard and her initial reaction was to push him away, but when his tongue forced its way into her mouth, she yielded completely, hating herself for it.

"Weren't you asking for a 'put me in a coma' sex?" Owen arrogantly moved to her top, using the size of his body to keep her underneath him while he stripped off his shirt. "That's what you're getting now." He added with fierce determination.

Amelia saw how serious he was and she didn't remember feeling as angry at him as she felt at that moment.

"Screw you!" She said, managing to hit his chest with a closed fist.

"Not me," Owen said suggestively, grabbing her wrists and placing them above her head. "Say yes," Owen whispered, leaning over to capture her neck.

She was so gorgeous and so beautiful that Owen couldn't help channeling all his anger into desire. When he'd laid eyes on her lying on the bed wearing only a plain shirt and underwear, he felt his blood rushing in his veins. And then when her skin had made contact with his beneath the covers, Owen couldn't contain himself any longer.

As he kept her captive beneath him, Owen closely studied her features, admiring every curve of her face. Her eyes were shinning with what he knew was sheer anger; her breathing was fast and sharp and she was looking at him like she was plotting to have him killed.

No woman could drive him mad like she could. No one else had that much power over him. Amelia was the only one capable of breaking into his defenses and driving him so over the edge that Owen felt powerless. Owen knew he loved her with everything he had and that without hesitation, he would go to extremes to protect her from anyone and anything.

"Damn it, woman," Owen released her arms, feeling her shiver when he brushed his lips on the curve of her neck. "Why do you…" He lost every trace of intelligence when Amelia interrupted him by pulling him closer, stealing a kiss that soon became an erotic dance.

Owen roughly pulled down her panties and got her rid of her shirt, exploring her body with intense determination. He turned her around, clenching his teeth into her ivory skin, seeing his bite marks leave red spots all over her shoulders. Amelia was so furious at him that she gave back with the same raw intensity, determined to torture him just as much.

Her hands rubber the inner parts of his thighs as she traced a descending path of kisses through his body. Amelia used her lips and tongue to subdue him in the way she knew would make him lose all control. When Owen noticed he was on the verge of exploding with desire, he captured her and rolled on her top, driving himself inside of her with one fast movement.

"You're the devil in human shape," Owen clenched his fist around her jaw, forcing her to look at him.

Amelia replied by painfully digging her nails on his back, watching with satisfaction as he twitched in response. Owen looked at her with fire in his eyes and noticing his second of hesitation, Amelia captured his lower lip with her teeth, moving her hips beneath his skillfully.

She noticed as his face protested her bite at the same time he was delirious with desire. Noticing the smirk of satisfaction in his wife's face, Owen grabbed her hips and spun her around, covering her body with his own at the same time he fiercely resumed his strokes.

Amelia felt the scratch of his stubble on her back as Owen explored her neck and shoulders with hungry kisses. When he grabbed her hair and used his free hand to capture one of her breasts, she smiled with satisfaction. The past minutes had much more to do with what Amelia had imagined when she'd asked him for rough sex.

But she was still so mad at Owen that she couldn't help herself. When he pulled her dark locks, forcing her to turn her head sideways to look at him, Amelia's mischievous eyes met his and she heard him speak, husky with anticipation:

"Is this what you wanted?" Owen's hand slid from her breast to her lower belly and then between her legs. "Tell me," Owen commanded with his alpha male arrogant confidence.

Amelia nearly lost her head when she felt his fingers teasing her but she used her last flicker of self control to plot how she would torture him. Looking Owen deeply in the eyes, she dug one hand through his hair and pulled him nearer, certain he expected her to say something dirty or beg him to end that delicious agony. But when she smugly looked at him with her flushed face and angelical eyes, Amelia fired her last blow, knowing it would drive Owen mad with rage.

"I was rooting for the 49ers."

His reaction didn't disappoint. Amelia saw the excruciating anger on his face and she rejoiced in it. He promptly noticed by her devilish smile that she had said the words to painfully torment him.

Owen grabbed her with force, subduing her to the strokes of his body. He noticed the pleased expression on her face as he intensified the rhythm. Soon enough, Amelia was clinging to him for support when her entire body was taken over by spasms of pleasure as she reached climax. At the sight of her complete loss of control, Owen soon followed, crashing on top of her once he was finally able to stop.

"You're crushing me," Amelia said seconds later, still short of breath.

Owen used his elbows for support, gently lifting his weight. But he couldn't leave her just yet. Without thinking about it, he buried his face on the curve of her neck, breathing her in, feeling Amelia's hand instinctively run through his hair in a soft caress.

He remained on her top for long minutes as they stayed immersed in comfortable silence, both still recovering from their amazing and intense lovemaking.

"Are you okay?" Owen asked when he finally gathered enough energy to bring his head up so he could look into her eyes.

Amelia knew he wasn't asking only about her physical integrity and she smiled gently, nodding affirmatively while still idly stroking his soft blonde hair.

"You know I was lying, don't you?" She asked with concern, obviously talking about her fake football confession.

"Of course," Owen replied but he didn't sound so sure.

"You looked like you were going to murder me," Amelia chuckled with the memory, contaminating him with her mirthful grin. "I was just trying to mess with your head, babe," She reinforced, smiling genuinely at him while looking into his eyes.

Owen felt her affectionate touch on the back of his head while she caressed him. He watched as her free hand rubbed his arm with concern.

"It worked," He confessed, partially embarrassed. When Amelia had said she was rooting for the other team, Owen had felt like she was breaking his loyalty to him. He knew it was silly but it mattered to him. Her saying that had been a low blow and they both knew it.

"It did," Amelia flashed him with a dirty smile. She freed her hand and traced the outline of his eyebrow with her fingertip. "You didn't disappoint, babe," She confessed, biting her lower lip. "It was better than I remembered."

Owen laughed with contentment at her irreverent confession and he bent down to kiss her lips, completely rid of all the anger he'd felt earlier that evening. Amelia welcomed his kiss, wrapping both arms around his neck to bring him closer. She closed her eyes when Owen's lips left hers, but he kept on giving her gentle kisses on her face and neck, determined to return her loving affection.

"I'm sorry I yelled at you," Amelia breathed in slowly at his touch, genuinely regretting the way she'd acted towards him.

"I am sorry too," Owen touched his forehead to her temple, snuggling closer to her. "I know I shouldn't have been so angry because of a football game."

"No, you have every right to be passionate about it," Amelia said, believing every word. "It was me who pushed you when I shouldn't have… I guess I was just looking for an excuse to have an argument because I needed to vent out my anger."

"Then we are both two idiots," Owen smiled before rolling over to his side of the bed, bringing her in his arms.

"Two very angry idiots," Amelia pointed out with good humor, rubbing his chest with her open palm. When the sound of their laughter subsided, she looked into his eyes with devotion. "We're okay, right? This wasn't a real fight?"

"If that's what you call a fight," Owen replied with a smirk, "then we should fight more often," He teased her, smiling heartily soon after. "We're fine, babe."

"We are." Amelia smiled with conviction, intertwining their fingers before she finally allowed herself to embark on a restoring sleep.

.

The following day, things went back to normal as the kids went to school and Owen left to work. Soon enough, Amelia found herself bored out of her mind. After going grocery shopping and doing laundry, she picked up the mail and tossed it on the kitchen counter, too unmotivated to start looking through bills and paperwork.

Telling herself she was being pathetic, Amelia picked up her computer and went into the living room, determined to start thinking about the next step she would take regarding her career. The neurosurgeon spent the entire afternoon reading through briefings of her research paperwork, studying the possibilities of continuing the program at another facility and making sure she knew all the pre requisites to start another trial before she thought about signing a new job contract.

Amelia knew that as soon as a neurosurgery community found out she was no longer working at Grey Sloan Memorial, job offers from all over the country would start popping in her mailboxes, but she wasn't ready to consider moving out of Seattle. She loved that city like nowhere else she'd ever lived in and her husband and children had deep roots there, so moving away was not an option.

Still considering all of that, Amelia drove off later that day to pick up her kids from school. When Owen called saying he'd be late because of multiple surgeries, she felt a stinging pain hitting her heart. It was awful trying to control her desire to be there in the action scene instead of sitting at home all day being unproductive.

In order to sweep those thoughts from her mind, she took the kids out to a steakhouse and they had a lovely time during dinner, discussing lighthearted topics. Right after they'd ordered dessert, Amelia saw the opportunity to tell them about her new work situation, letting them know that her time at home wasn't a simple break but that she had in fact quit her job. They were confused at first but Amelia tried to explain in the most honest way she could. Even though they were all still too young to understand the impact of such a decision, the five of them gave back nothing but words of support. And by the time dinner was over, Amelia felt a lot better, finally finding the strength to move on after her decision.

When Owen made it home later that day, he found Amelia lying on their bed with the iPad in her hands, going through a document looking completely focused. Owen laughed at the way the reading glasses she hardly ever used enlarged her amazing eyes and soon after his gaze fell upon the sleeping child that occupied the middle portion of his bed.

"Hey," He greeted his wife with a whisper, getting rid of his jacket. "Is everything okay?" Owen asked with concern, looking at their son who was completely knocked out by sleep.

"Yeah," Amelia smiled at him in the dark, taking off her glasses and putting them on the nightstand before slowly ruffling their son's hair. "The twins had a field trip to Lewis Army Museum today," Amelia shared, referring to the Military Facility that was a little more than an hour driving distance from Seattle. "Danny was so excited to tell you about the medical corps and everything he saw," Amelia shared with a proud smile, looking from her husband to her sleeping son. "He tried his hardest to wait up for you but eventually, sleep defeated him."

Owen felt his heart constricting when he learned about his son's excitement and bent over, giving the boy a kiss on the head, regretting he hadn't made it home sooner.

"I bet he and Rob went crazy when they saw all those Tanks," Owen declared, wishing with all his heart that he could have been there to show the equipments to his sons. "Alright, let me get him to bed," He stretched his arms to pick up Danny.

"No…!" Amelia protested with a whisper, preventing Owen to touch their kid. "He is sleeping so comfortably, you're going to wake him."

The smile of guilt was evident on her face as Amelia happily wrapped one arm around Danny, rejoicing in snuggling up next to him.

"Just admit that's not what you're worried about," Owen raised one eyebrow at her, noticing by the look on her face that she knew he was right. Amelia knew Danny wouldn't wake up, she just didn't want to let him go.

"Just let him stay here, what is the problem?" She innocently asked, kissing her sleeping son's head.

Owen nodded his head in playful disapproval, finishing taking off his work clothes before getting into a hot shower.

Amelia was nearly asleep when Owen came back from the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist. He picked up his pants from the floor and took a white envelope from the back pocket.

"I nearly forgot," He confessed distractedly, catching Amelia's attention. "I went into the kitchen to get a snack before I came upstairs and this was on the counter with the rest of the mail. It was pretty much just bills and bulletins, but this was in the middle and it looks important. It's a registered letter in your name. No return address."

"Weird," Amelia frowned, picking up her reading glasses again before she gently sat down on the bed, careful not to wake up Danny. The letter had the word _urgent_ printed in red and a stamp with her name and address on it but nothing more.

Owen went into the closet, getting dressed while she read the content of the letter. Thirty seconds later, he made it back into the room, startled by the shocked look on his wife's face.

"What?" Owen asked with concern, being assaulted by a thousand different thoughts. "Is everything okay?" He asked, wondering if something had happened to her family to justify her face suddenly turning so pale and surprised. "Is it your mother? What is it?"

"No," Amelia shook her head, trying to be rational and process the content of the letter. She read the three paragraphs once again, still not convinced of the content. "It's not from my family."

"Then who is it from?" Owen took two steps in her direction, his worry giving in to curiosity.

As he gently sat down on the mattress beside her, Owen noticed as his wife took one quick look from the envelope to their sleeping son and then finally back at him.

"The Harper Avery Foundation," Amelia confessed, swallowing hard. She was so shocked that it still did not feel real. Usually that contact was made by phone call, it was a known tradition among the surgery community, the reason why Amelia still was finding it hard to believe when she notified her husband of the letter's content. "They've just nominated me for this year's Award."


	22. The Right Shepherd - Part Four

**My Boys Drabbles** **–** **The Right Shepherd (Part Four)**

Even though the initial shock had passed, Amelia still found it hard to believe what was actually happening.

After one day, it became clear that the Harper Avery Award committee had tried to contact her by phone call at exactly 5 am as traditional, but Amelia hadn't been present at the hospital, and human resources had refused to give out her number for privacy reasons. By cross matching her data with the contact information of the magazine in which Amelia had submitted her article to, the people in charge had finally been able to contact the surgeon and notify her about the nomination.

And since the news within the medical community spread fast, people at the hospital soon found out about Amelia's selection. There was a big uproar and the neurosurgeon received several phone calls from people who had worked with her, some to honestly congratulate and wish her luck, but some out of sheer curiosity and even disbelief.

Two weeks after Amelia had quit working at the hospital, she visited Grey Sloan Memorial for the first time since she'd left it, but for the specific purpose of signing her resignation letter and breach of contract. Thankfully, Bailey had made the transition and paperwork bureaucracy as easy as possible for her former head of neurosurgery. But Amelia wasn't prepared for the avalanche of attention that followed her the minute she stepped foot inside the hospital.

She took nearly an hour to get from the hospital entrance to Bailey's office, because the entire surgical floor seemed interested in talking to her. After she'd left, rumors had started to spread, especially among residents and interns, but they quickly faded away when it became obvious they were unfounded. But the news that the former head of department who'd quit because she disagreed with the new hospital administrative policy had been nominated for the most prestigious Award in her category had turned Amelia into a heroine, especially for the residents who were suffering the toll of budget cuts on their everyday training.

After meeting with Bailey, being kindly asked to reconsider and ultimately declining, Amelia made her way to the nurse station in the middle of the floor. Soon enough, a third year resident came to congratulate her and the neurosurgeon had to put up with Maggie's ear to ear silly smile.

"Stop looking at me like that, Maggie!" Amelia implored, blushing.

Maggie was usually the one who blushed but even though Amelia was used to being regarded as brilliant, she had never really endured being in the spotlight so flagrantly like that.

"You deserve this," Maggie affirmed with conviction.

Alex Karev, who was standing close to them, nodded his head in agreement. Meredith Grey, on the other hand, kept her attention fixated at the computer screen. Amelia noticed how her sister in law didn't say a word, but she kept the observation for herself. Meredith was often immersed in her own world, making it rare for her to give someone time when she felt like it would be of no use to herself.

"How does Evelyn feel about this?" Maggie asked with excitement. It was a known fact that Amelia's mother in law had been patient zero in her trial. It had been because of Evelyn's tumor and complicated surgery plan that Amelia had improvised an idea in the last minute. After many days and nights of careful improvement, the so called "hail mary" plan had slowly evolved into Amelia's original surgical method.

"She is more excited than anyone else," The neurosurgeon replied with a wide smile. Her mother in law was an amazing person and Amelia felt lucky and grateful to have her in their lives. "Yesterday she came over to dinner and brought three different desserts to celebrate. I just wished she didn't have her hopes too high though. Evelyn is absolutely convinced I'll win."

"Why wouldn't you?" Maggie asked with loyal incredulity. "You pretty much have only that ENT guy competing against you, the rest of the contenders aren't up to the prize." The cardio surgeon added, absolutely convinced of what she was saying. "I read all five published papers and I can honestly tell you it's either you or that guy. Besides, you did an amazing job and totally on your own, Amelia, that's already incredible enough."

"Yeah," Alex agreed. "We really have to give you credit for this one… You've outdone yourself."

"I am team Shepherd," Maggie loyally announced, looking from Amelia to Alex, who joined the chorus.

The duo then proceeded to look at Meredith, as if encouraging her to join in support, but Amelia's sister in law shrugged discreetly, twitching her lips before adding, clearly against her liking:

"It won't be surprising at all if the award goes to you," Meredith spoke, as if coerced by others.

"Why do I have a feeling there is a 'but' after that sentence?" Amelia frowned, being completely honest. She had no idea why, but the way her sister in law had spoken had grinded her gears.

"Well…" Meredith looked from the computer screen to Maggie and Alex, as if seeking support but both surgeons kept staring at her wondering the same thing as Amelia. "I don't think it's fair you should take all the credit, to be honest," The general surgeon said irritably. "I am not saying this to offend you or to make you feel bad, Amelia, but I think it's pretty obvious that if Derek were still here you wouldn't have been nominated."

"What?"

Amelia had thought of asking that question, but before she could open her mouth Alex had already fired it. Both he and Maggie seemed as surprised by Meredith's supposition as Amelia was.

"I just meant that… Well…" Meredith hesitated when she noticed her three colleagues seemed outraged by her statement. Changing her tone to an innocent one, as if expecting the others to be gullible, Meredith proceeded, "If Derek were still here, you wouldn't have operated on Evelyn, Amelia. You wouldn't have had your trial, probably. And I am pretty sure he would have been the one that got nominated. He was the senior surgeon in here. He made the name. Without his reputation, you'd have a longer way to walk on, but Derek paved the way for you." Meredith said, looking like she firmly believed that. "This nomination has a lot to do with him too. He was the original Shepherd."

Amelia stood still for long seconds, feeling the blood rushing in her veins as an immeasurable rage took over her entire body.

"You mean the right Shepherd?" The neurosurgery bitterly fired, before she could control herself.

Seeing Amelia had been worked up about her sister in law's speech, Alex and Maggie took a step back, unwilling to get in the middle of what was taking shape of a family feud.

"I didn't say that," Meredith used a condescending tone of voice, as if reprimanding a child.

"But you meant it," Amelia's eyes were sparking with rage. She hated to be professionally compared to Derek, as if he was entitled to more because he'd been there first. "My brother was an excellent surgeon…" She added, trying to control her breath otherwise she would flip at Meredith's bitterness. "He was an amazing person and I am pretty certain he would have had all the recognition and awards and whatever crap he could have gotten… But I am also damn sure he would have been proud and happy for me." Amelia took a step back, nodding her head in disapproval. "Derek was a great one, Meredith, but he is not here anymore and he hasn't been for a long time. The fact that he was great once doesn't make it any less valid the fact that I've also achieved greatness. I _am_ great. You have to learn how to deal with it."

Amelia breathed in and out, almost hoping Meredith would say something. For years she'd dealt with her sister in law's hard feelings. Meredith had never accepted Derek's death and even though it seemed like she'd moved on from it, by marrying Nathan Riggs and sharing a house and her family with him, Amelia knew the general surgeon still very much felt it. It was no wonder why Meredith had worked pretty much every Christmas since her brother's death and why every year on Derek's birthday she would schedule back to back surgeries from dusk to dawn.

Amelia also knew that Meredith resented her for taking up Derek's job and filling in as a head figure. Derek had always been "Dr. Shepherd" whereas early on in her career Amelia had been reduced to "Little Shepherd", "Shepherdess" and sometimes even "The Wrong Shepherd". The fact that Amelia had fallen in love, married and built a life with Meredith's best friend's ex husband also hadn't help. The neurosurgeon had taken up a lot of hate and unwelcomed resistance from her sister in law over the years because early on, she somehow had leaned on Meredith's acceptance and good opinion for validation and security. But that hadn't been the case anymore for years and in hope to avoid a clash for a problem that wasn't hers, Amelia had backed off as much as she could, sharing her personal life mostly with Maggie. But every now and then, Meredith would pull off something like that and it drove Amelia over the edge to be treated like an immature inconsequent teenager even after all those years.

She knew she didn't need Meredith's approval to be happy or to be able to sleep at night. But to be mistreated and patronized was something she would _not_ accept. Seeing as Meredith didn't look like she wanted to add something, Amelia raised her hands in a clear indication of waiver and scoffed with disapproval.

"You know what, screw it…" She gave Meredith one last look before adding. "It doesn't really matter what you meant or not. You're pathetic and I feel sorry for you."

"Amelia!" Maggie's voice called out loud, obviously trying to prevent things from getting worse. "Wait!" She rushed to get around the nurses' station, trying to prevent the neurosurgeon from leaving.

Amelia was about to ignore Maggie completely but when she turned to leave, she spotted Owen walking in their direction with Bailey and Webber by his side.

"There she is!" Richard Webber said with his usual excitement. "The star of the moment!" The senior surgeon added with a contaminating smile, oblivious to the heavy atmosphere surrounding them.

But Owen picked up on it and he looked from Amelia to the others and then back to his wife, visibly trying to understand what was going on.

"We were just telling Amelia how we believe she's deserved this nomination," Meredith said very seriously and in those words Amelia understood that was the closest thing to an apology she would get.

"That is no secret," Bailey added with hesitant pride.

The unspoken fact that the hospital had agreed to let Amelia go just weeks before her nomination and how they were probably going to reminisce benefiting from the publicity of that, especially if Amelia won, was clearly something the people in charge were still trying to deal with.

"Is the ceremony being held in Boston?" Alex asked, trying to lighten up everyone's mood.

"Yeah," Amelia confirmed, happy to be out of that uncomfortable spotlight. "It's this weekend."

"Are you tagging along for the ride?" Webber looked at Owen, smiling with contentment.

"Uh, I don't know," Owen was caught off guard to be asked something. He wanted very much to go but he had no idea if work would make it possible. "I have a night shift the same day as the ceremony but I'll do everything I can to be there," He added with his hand inside his pockets, looking lovingly into his wife's eyes after giving her a discreet blink.

"It's a great idea if you go, Hunt, I think you would enjoy it." Webber happily added, thinking about the event with outstanding surgeons and neglecting the fact that Owen had already attended the ceremony once. Richard's wife was probably going to be there and so would he. "It's going to be nice to see some familiar faces," He looked at Amelia with a smile.

"I am sure I will," Owen replied politely, unwilling to bring up the fact he'd once been there with his ex wife.

"You will?" Meredith frowned at Owen, clearly offended at him acting like he didn't remember it. "More like you have."

When Owen gave Meredith an icy glance, it became obvious something was up.

"What does that mean?" Maggie asked, curious about what was going on.

Amelia looked from her friend to her husband, also wondering what that comment had meant.

"Oh, of course!" Webber thought back about when someone from the hospital had last been nominated and it suddenly clicked. Cristina Yang had gone representing Grey Sloan and Owen had flown over to attend the party. "Well, good for you, Hunt, you have a great taste for women, obviously. I honestly wonder if I marry you if I will also be nominated, because apparently that's what it takes," Webber added with good humor, innocently clueless to everything around him, including the exchange of looks between husband and wife.

When no one replied, Webber realized he'd perhaps given out too much information and quickly took his cell from his pocket, pretending to have been paged to have an excuse to flee the scene. Soon after everyone else followed and Amelia gave her husband one last look before turning around to resume her journey back to her car so she could go home.

"Hey, wait…" Owen took a few large strides and caught up, walking side by side with his wife. "I can see on your face you're upset. What happened?"

Amelia stopped walking and turned to her side to look at him. She had already been through enough when Meredith had taken out all her resentment on her. But finding out Owen had kept information from her had been like the sour cherry on top.

"I am tired and stressed from this entire circus…" Amelia confessed, avoiding talking about their personal life at work. She was going to travel the following day and for the first time she wasn't excited about that. It made her feel guilty because Amelia knew she should be enjoying it. "I'm going home."

Owen bent over the work station as they walked through the ER and scribbled something on an order note before signing and rushing again to catch up with his wife.

"Are you upset that I didn't tell you I'd been to the ceremony once?" He asked once they were already at the parking lot.

Amelia turned around to face him. She was wearing faded jeans and a dark sweater while Owen was neatly dressed in his perfectly appropriate work clothes. It was like they were part of two complete different worlds at that moment. She hated when things like that happened, because it made her feel like they were distant and it unwillingly drove her to wonder if they really had the deep level of intimacy she'd always assumed they had.

"When you found out about my nomination you seemed so thrilled about it," Amelia said with honesty. "You could have told me you'd gone through that same experience once." Amelia expressed her thoughts out loud. "Why didn't you?"

Owen looked at her like she was asking a crazy question.

"Why would I bring that up at that moment?" He defensively asked. "You know Cristina was nominated once too. It didn't occur to me when I was happy celebrating my wife's accomplishment to tell her that my ex wife had been through something similar. I don't see how it would be relevant." Owen added with a trace of anger. He hated when Amelia had those insecurity moments and started to freak out about someone who belonged to Owen's past and past only.

"It's not about her," Amelia said with conviction. "It's about you," She added. Having Owen there with her, sharing a special moment was something she'd looked forward to ever since she'd opened that envelope for the first time. And finding out he'd already had that experience upset her more than Amelia had predicted because somehow it felt like for Owen it wouldn't be as meaningful, considering he'd been through it once.

"I'm doing my best to understand you right now," Owen added, unwilling to prolong that discussion. "But I swear I am completely lost. Why are you mad at me?"

Amelia took a deep breath and tried to think of what to say. So far, that nomination had only caused her headache and frustration. She just wished it all ended.

"I am not," She shook her head and gave him a half hearted smile. "I am just…" Amelia struggled to find the words. She didn't want to pick a fight with Owen and he had done nothing wrong. "I just wished this could be a happy moment for me, you know?" She shook her head in denial, realizing Owen had no idea she was also taking about the quarrel she'd had with Meredith a while before. "I've always wanted this, every surgeon has, and whenever I dreamt of this moment, I never pictured being jobless and at odds with everybody."

"How's that?" Owen asked. He only understood about the employment part.

"You know that despite the fact that the hospital didn't force my contract down my throat, we didn't exactly part ways on a peaceful note," Amelia explained, knowing Bailey had done everything in her power to convince her to stay and had only decided to make peace with Amelia's decision because she had no other choice. "I thought I'd be at the top of my game but I am actually not practicing anything I preached in my article," She added and Owen could see a trace of sadness as she spoke. It was obvious his wife was feeling disappointed. "And then when I get here to finally sign my resignation papers I had to put up with Meredith once again saying crap about my brother and how I am only getting this nomination because Derek isn't here."

Owen took a few seconds to process her words and he looked at her, visibly worked up.

"And since when does her opinion matter?" He took one step closer and reached out, grabbing his wife's hand. Owen knew very well that she had gotten that far because of her own merit. "Amelia, when you reach the top you're always going to deal with people who, instead of trying to climb up there, will try to bring you down to make themselves feel better," Owen wisely said, sure that his wife already knew all of that. "Ignore them. You're better than that. You have people in your life who care about your well being and that are genuinely happy for you. Surround yourself with them," He advised, using his other hand to cup her cheek. "I promise, babe, I'll do everything I can to be with you in Boston."

"It's okay," Amelia replied, trying to convince herself of that. "I'll understand if you can't. It's just a formality, though, don't blame yourself if you can't. You don't have to go."

"But I _want_ to go," Owen reassured her, imaging if that's what his wife was concerned about. "I want to be there. When are you guys leaving?"

Since Amelia wasn't working, she would take the opportunity to spend a couple of days with her family in New York before heading up to Boston. And because Owen couldn't take time off from work in such short notice, she was going to take Lucas and Thomas with her. They would miss one day of classes but it was definitely worth it.

"On Thursday after school," Amelia answered, idly wiggling the car keys with her fingers.

"I'm trying to find someone to cover Saturday so I can make it," Owen informed her and smiled gently, leaning over to kiss her cheek. "You go home, now." He whispered in her ear, obviously teasing Amelia to cheer her up. "Now that you're officially an unemployed wife I expect dinner to be ready when I get home."

"Oh, really?" She playfully slapped him, cracking up at his provocation.

"Of course," Owen's smirk was evident as he continued with his act. "Laundry has to be done and dinner has to be cooked."

"And then in two days I'll fly off to go be awesome." Amelia couldn't help laughing at his lighthearted jokes.

"You're already awesome," Owen reminded her and unable to control himself, grabbed her chin and forced her neck up, stealing a kiss with passion. "You just need me to remind you of that every now and then."

.

After saying her goodbyes to Megan, Danny and Robbie, who all had tests at school the following week and couldn't join them on the trip, Amelia embarked on a flight with her oldest children heading to JFK airport.

She arrived in New York late at night and went straight to her mother's townhouse. Carolyn Shepherd was thrilled to have her daughter and grandsons over. Amelia purposefully chose to leave out the fact that she wasn't working at the hospital anymore because she didn't want to have to deal with drama, especially after her sister Nancy arrived from Connecticut to see her. On Saturday morning, Amelia rented a car and drove up to Boston with her kids. Seeing her mother and sisters was always nice, but it felt even better when she left.

Amelia took her time slowly driving around Cambridge to show everything around to her kids. Thomas seemed mesmerized, while Lucas would notice the most unusual things in the streets. Amelia knew that her fourteen year old son dreamed of going to Harvard ever since he was a little boy and judging by Thomas' academic achievements, it was very likely that he would be admitted.

Before lunch, they checked in the same hotel the ceremony was being held later that evening. Amelia watched from her adjoined room as her two sons playfully threw pillows at each other and she shook her head in disapproval but couldn't help keeping a smile of satisfaction on her face at the sight of how happy and healthy they were.

After calling home to check in on Megan and the twins, Amelia finally started working on her hair and makeup for the gala event. Her three youngest children were studying for their exams under the reliable care of their grandmother. Amelia knew that could only mean her husband was at the hospital and wouldn't be able to make it. She tried to avoid the lump she felt in her throat at the realization that Owen wasn't coming, but she quickly forced herself to stop. Amelia understood better than anyone about responsibility and commitment and she knew her husband couldn't drop everything at work and board on a plane just to hold her hand simply because he wanted to.

Amelia tried to ignore the fact that, irrationally, she wanted more than anything for Owen to be there. She wished all her kids were too, but Megan, Robbie and Danny were still too young to understand the dimension and significance of that award. No one could understand better than Owen the meaning and honor that being in Boston that day meant. And he was also the only one who could make her feel completely safe and even though Amelia wasn't expecting to win the award later that day, she would still have liked to have him by her side, to either celebrate or console her.

"Oh, wow, look at you two!" The sight of her children distracted Amelia from her thoughts. "You look amazing!" She added with a mix of pride and admiration.

Lucas and Thomas stood in front of her all dressed up in their tuxedos. Being their mother, Amelia knew her opinion wasn't very impartial, but her sons were incredibly handsome, not to mention charismatic and just plain adorable.

"I know," Lucas gave her a wicked smile and cockily fixed the tip of his blonde hair, playfully showing off.

"You're wearing your cufflinks wrong, smartass," Thomas intervened, giving his brother a judging look before stepping up to fix his sleeves.

Amelia left the boys to banter and finished getting ready, slipping into her night dress. She'd taken to Boston a formal dark teal evening gown and matching silver heels. With a halter strap neckline, the dress descended down her body outlining her thin waist, giving her a classy, elegant and feminine look.

The minute they stepped into the ceremony room, Amelia had the first taste of how the evening was going to be. People from all over the country stepped in to talk to her and she was glad to have two amazing and handsome escorts as special as Lucas and Thomas. While the eldest would charmingly engage people into a lighthearted conversation, easing the atmosphere around, Tommy would keep his mother's arm safely held on his own, making Amelia happy to be reminded she wasn't alone.

And seeing how hard her two boys were trying only made Amelia feel guilty that despite everything, she still wished Owen was there. When they were led to the tables and took their respective places, she noticed an empty seat on her table with her husband's name on the tag right in front of it. Sighing heavily, Amelia tried her hardest not to feel so frustrated.

Trying to control her anxiety, she looked around and spotted Catherine Avery but she noticed Richard Webber wasn't by her side. The minute the chairman for the Harper Avery Award took the stage and began his speech, all eyes instantly focused on him. Amelia watched as Thomas looked at her with an expectant smile and then turned back to the stage. Before she could focus there too, Amelia felt a gentle squeeze as Lucas held her hand. Taking a deep breath, she listened carefully to the chairman's words, determined to focus on them entirely.

Her main opponent was sitting just a couple of tables to the side and he also had his gaze fixated on the stage. Amelia could spot the expectant smile disappearing from the ENT surgeon's face the minute the Chairman announced her name as the winner of that year's Harper Avery Award.

"Mom!" Lucas cheerfully brought her back to reality, after seeing the frozen look on his mother's face. "Mom, you have to go up there! You won!"

Amelia still couldn't believe the whirlwind of emotions she found herself in when her feet automatically made her stand up and she took large strides towards the stage. Never in her wildest dreams had she ever imagined being nominated, let alone winning the most prestigious surgical award in the entire nation.

Because she'd had to, Amelia had written a speech just in case, but she hadn't expected to use it. As she made her way around the stand, being given the microphone and everyone's attention, Amelia felt nervous and even more anxious than she had that whole evening. But the minute she unfolded the tiny piece of paper containing the words she'd meant to say, a large smile grew from the corner of her lips, illuminating her entire face.

Standing opposite to her, by the entrance of the room, Owen looked at his wife with the proudest smile she had ever seen. Amelia let out a vivid chuckle, making everyone in the room who was directly staring at her believe she was the happiest for winning, but Amelia knew better. Now she could thoroughly enjoy that victory.

Her radiant smile was accompanied by a lighthearted and honest speech and it didn't take long for every person in the room to be under the spell of the brilliant and charismatic surgeon who could charm everyone with looks and manners at the same time she impressed them with intelligence and wit. By the time Amelia was finally handed the award trophy after the organization had promptly carved her name on it, she grabbed the symbolic object and rushed to the floor, being followed on stage by Catherine Avery, who was going to present a honorary award to a senior colleague.

Taking advantage of the fact thay the focus wasn't on her anymore, Amelia passed by the table where her kids were seated and was welcomed with warm hugs and cheers. When she finally pulled apart from Thomas, Owen had already made his way there and without a second to think, Amelia wrapped her arms around her husband's neck, clinging to him with all the strength she had.

"Whoa, aren't you a real hurricane?" Owen playfully whispered in her ear, promptly holding her in his arms with affection. "I am so, so proud of you." He added, kissing her cheek with adoration.

"When… How did you get here?" Amelia asked after gently pulling apart to look into his eyes. She held his face between her hands, feeling blessed that he was really there.

"I just got here," Owen confessed, rubbing the exposed skin on her back.

"I can't believe you've made it!" Amelia hugged him again, giving a quick kiss to his lips before frowning. "What about your shift? How…"

"Webber covered for me," Owen smiled, not surprised by her fire mouth manner. "He gave me a call this morning and said he's come to Boston too many times already and that you deserved having me here instead. So, here I am."

Amelia heard the words, silently thanking Richard Webber for his consideration and decency.

"I love you!" She once again clung to Owen, rejoicing in his presence. "Thank you so much for coming, I really… I… Owen," Amelia couldn't speak, feeling the tears building in her eyes. Now every emotion had finally caught up with her.

"I wouldn't miss it for the world," Owen took his hands to her face and gently dried one tear that threatened to fall using his thumb. "You look beautiful," He said, taking his time looking at her from head to toe. "You've got the looks, the brain…The Award," Owen leaned over and whispered in her ear again, rejoicing on the idea that that incredible woman in his arms was entirely his. "What else could a guy hope for?" He touched his forehead to hers and smiled into her eyes. "I love you too."

Amelia bit her bottom lip and leaned over to reply something in her husband's ear but Thomas and Lucas never found out what. Lucas was already pulling his mother by the hand, convincing her to join him on the dance floor and Amelia proudly showed off her fifteen year old prize that to her was way more important than the transparent trophy that was left back at the table.

.

The following day, Owen and Amelia took their time going around Boston with their sons. The two surgeons had lived in the city once, while attending Harvard Medical School, and since their time was short and they couldn't actually visit the campus with the risk of losing their flight, Amelia suggested they visited the harbor and had lunch there before finally making it to the airport to go back home.

But the surprises didn't end there because when they first walked into the house, Amelia was greeted by shouts of surprise and popping of balloons as her three youngest children ran in her direction, visibly eager to celebrate the special moment with her. Amelia took one look to her mother in law's face and saw the guilt stamped in the older woman's eyes. It was clear Evelyn had organized everything and Amelia couldn't be more grateful for that.

Unfortunately the celebration couldn't last much longer because the oldest kids were tired from the busy weekend and the youngest ones had to go to bed to be well rested for their tests the following days. Owen drove his mother home and when he came back, the surgeon found his wife in the kitchen, finishing cleaning up.

"Hey," Owen greeted her, taking a handful of peanuts from a bowl that was still on the counter. "You should leave those there, babe, they are not going anywhere. Go get some rest. You deserve it. It's been a busy weekend." He said with honesty, seeing his wife gathering plastic cups and plates in a garbage bag.

"I can't because I won't be able to clean up tomorrow," Amelia added with a smirk that revealed she meant more than she was saying.

"Why is that?" Owen asked distractedly, taking dowm the decorations their kids had hung on what seemed like every wall of the house.

"Because I have to go to work in the morning," Amelia replied with an honest smile.

"What?" Owen stopped what he was doing midway through taking a banner from the counter and turned around to look at her. "I thought you'd just signed your resignation letter? Have you already taken a job? Why am I always the last one to know about these things?" Owen shook his head in confusion.

"No, I did not," Amelia let out a loud chuckle after seeing his distress. "The moment you left to take your mom home my cell phone wouldn't stop ringing. It was Bailey."

"Yeah?" Owen raised his eyebrows, waiting for her to continue. "What did she want?"

"To convince me to throw my resignation letter in the trash," Amelia replied with a trace of irritation. "She said the hospital administration has _demanded_ her not to let me go after my win yesterday."

"These people baffle me," Owen scoffed with disgust. "They are seriously unbelievable," He added, knowing he shouldn't be surprised. The corporate world was a tank of sharks and all that mattered was profit. Having a Harper Avery Award winning surgeon would bring the hospital a lot of publicity and validation. He bet the people in charge were cringing with regret for letting his wife go so easily, especially after seeing her remarkable accomplishment.

"Since I wasn't officially working at the hospital anymore when I was granted the Award, the few notes already published on the press have barely mentioned Sloan Grey's name," Amelia said with a wicked smile of satisfaction. "Of course they're pissed with that and Bailey said they're willing to go _a little_ further to have me back."

It was clear in Amelia's voice that by a little, she'd meant a lot.

"So what did you do?" Owen asked, not failing to notice she was having fun with the situation. "Did you tear down your resignation letter?"

"Nope," Amelia bit her bottom lip mischievously before clarifying. "I kept it. And then I told Bailey if they want to have me back, they have to hire me again instead. We have to draw up a new contract. This time, on my terms."

It didn't surprise Owen that Amelia was getting her way. Usually, it was what ended up happening where his wife was concerned.

"And what are your terms?" Owen asked, smiling at how bright her eyes were shinning.

"I want my surgeries back," Amelia said with conviction. "And I want my research back. My budget increases by a hundred percent. And no more people on my back telling me to quit my trial."

Owen noticed how she was nearly gloating and he felt, if possible, even prouder. His wife was absolutely a handful of work, but she stood up for what she believed in, setting a great example for their kids every day. Amelia didn't sell herself for money nor did she accept bribery. Amelia had her beliefs and didn't settle for being corrupted by a vicious system. Everything about her was fresh, genuine and came from the heart. In Owen's opinion, that was something beautiful to watch.

"So you're going back?" As Amelia stood by the sink washing dishes, he went behind her back and rubbed her shoulders with affection.

"I am going back," Amelia turned her head sideways and met his gaze over her shoulder. "Tomorrow I go in to sign the new contract. Also, I am getting a twelve percent raise on my salary, did I mention that?"

"You are a serious piece of work!" Owen laughed, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her against him as he kissed her temple.

"That's what Bailey said," Amelia laughed with good humor.

"Oh really? She barely deals with you and she already feels like that?" Owen asked, smiling with contentment. "Imagine if she had to live with you."

"If she lived with me and played your part, would that mean you'd play hers and still be my boss?" Amelia flashed him a dirty smile, unable to hide the fact that she was proud of herself for all her accomplishments that weekend.

"I can still be your boss whenever you like," Owen replied in the same tone, knowing she meant more than just work.

"We are a great team," Amelia laughed, spilling water from the dishes to her husband's attentive sight. "At work, we save lives; at home, we make lives…" She joked, obviously referring to their children. "How can it get any better than that?"

"Well, some people would say that winning Awards makes it all even better," Owen smiled, drawing a trail of kisses on her jaw and neck as his hand slid beneath her shirt, splaying on her bare stomach.

Amelia let out a loud laughter and dropped the dishes in the sink, turning around inside his embrace to eagerly kiss her husband on the lips. When Owen lifted her up and sat her on the kitchen isle, Amelia wrapped her legs around his hips, laughing at his reaction when she blew the soap foam from her hands to his direction.

.

That weekend, Amelia had reached the highest point of her career and she was well aware of that. At some point in her life, she had imagined that her professional and personal lives were two complete different and opposite things but over the years she'd learned that success in her career meant nothing if she didn't have her family to share those victories with.

Better than winning a Harper Avery was coming home and finding Robbie with a sign that read _"Best Mom Award"_ , or tasting the cupcakes Megan had prepared with the help of her grandmother, or even listening to the three verse song Danny had "composed" for her using his dad's guitar. Amelia thought back about the excitement on Lucas' eyes when he had invited her to dance right after she'd won the Award and then the pride stamped on Thomas' face when he announced to hotel guests who'd taken the same elevator as them what that transparent object in his mother's hands was after they'd asked about the unusual looking trophy. All those memories brought a smile to Amelia's face and she felt even more accomplished.

Before they made it up to their bedroom, Amelia took the prize to the small study on the bottom floor, where she and Owen kept their books and hospital paperwork. She placed it on top of the big wooden desk, right next to a framed photograph of herself with her husband and five kids, thinking it would be a perfect fit to leave it there.

"I'm going to bed, are you coming?" Owen's voice came from the living room, bringing Amelia back from her thoughts.

"Yeah, I'll meet you there in a minute," Amelia replied, looking forward to crashing in her own bed after those three nights away from home.

As she was about to leave, Amelia turned around one more time. Going back into the study, she pulled a picture of Derek from the bookshelf and added him to the study desk top, right next to her own family and the trophy.

When Amelia had first decided to be a neurosurgeon, her brother had been her inspiration and even though for a while she believed to have been his shadow, Amelia didn't anymore. She wasn't the Right or the Wrong Shepherd. She was a groundbreaking surgeon, the only one of her kind, just like her brother had been. There was no point in competing with him, for Derek would always remain a happy memory in her life, an image of decency and success and someone to look up to when things got hard. Wondering what Derek would do in a situation had always brought Amelia peace and comfort. She studied his picture, thanking his memory for that award, because Derek had been the one to first instill in her the passion for Neurosurgery. Amelia kept on mentally sending her best wishes and vibrations to wherever he was at the moment, knowing for sure that he was wishing the same things back.

Then, her eyes met the familiar picture of her husband and kids she'd looked at a thousand times before. Just like it happened in each of those times, a smile lit up her face at the sight of the six people she loved the most in the entire world.

One quick glance at her family and Amelia instantly knew. They were the most important part of her life. Without them, everything else felt meaningless and shallow. With the thought in mind, Amelia closed the study door and made her way upstairs, eager to pester Owen a bit more before they finally fell asleep.

She was in a good place at the moment. Her professional life had taken some big turns in the past week, going from disappointing when she'd heard about the hospital's decision, to potentially empty when she'd ultimately resigned and then to fully satisfying, after she got back the job she loved so much, upgraded with a few extra improvements. Everything had settled into place and Amelia had just made peace with the world again. But there was one absolute truth in the middle of all of that she would never neglect, because no matter how many Harper Avery's she could collect in a lifetime, without those six happy smiles that surrounded her in her favorite picture, nothing would ever feel right or complete.

They were her biggest Award and Amelia was absolutely sure of that.


	23. Christmas Card

An anon asked me to write about the time Amelia received a handwritten Christmas Card from the boys and got very emotional. This happens within the events of My Boys: Better Days, so it's kind of an unwritten scene belonging to that timeline (It sets around Chapter 3).

 **My Boys Drabbles** **– Christmas Card  
**

Amelia lazily rubbed her eyes, cursing the stinging pain in her lower back that had interrupted her rest. She had been sleeping so deeply that once she'd woken up, it'd taken her a fraction of a second longer than usual to realize she was in her own bed. The clock on the nightstand showed it wasn't eleven pm yet.

They were just a few days away from Christmas and soon enough, Owen would leave to Charleston for his Army assignment, leading a training group for surgeons who would be deploying to war. Personally, Amelia hated the idea of being away from her husband for three weeks but she knew that being in the Army was something Owen had given up for the sake of their family and this was the perfect solution to have him still performing the duties he loved so much without having to see him off to war, something that had always been her biggest fear concerning his military career.

Owen also seemed to be affected by the idea of being away from their family for so long because he would spend as much time with the kids as he could and usually right after they'd put the boys to bed, he would immediately look for his wife to steal her breath and her time for long hours in their bed. Amelia hadn't seen him since the previous morning, because of Owen's night shift. Her day had been so busy, with early surgeries and then taking Lucas for a follow up appointment with his pediatrician, that she had crashed on the bed after the boys' bedtime and hadn't even heard when her husband got home.

"Hey, you're up!" Owen noticed with surprise as he turned his attention from the game on the TV to watch his wife coming down the stairs. He had come home from work a couple of hours before and had found her completely knocked out in bed.

"I accidentally fell asleep after tucking the boys in," Amelia shared, feeling her stomach protest. She couldn't remember the last time she'd eaten something but it was her back that was causing more discomfort.

"Are you okay?" Owen frowned, watching his wife twitch her torso uncomfortably as she made her way to the back of the house.

"No," Amelia replied without offering more explanations and proceeded to disappear into the kitchen.

Owen shrugged in confusion, but a play on the game caught his attention. Five minutes after, he heard the noise of her coming back to the living room, apparently after having eaten something.

"My back is killing me," Amelia shared as she stood in front of him and unceremoniously wrapped her legs around his, straddling Owen's hips while resting against his chest like a child. "I just took a muscle relaxant but damn, this hurts."

"Why is that?" Owen gently slid one arm around her while his free hand captured her mass of dark hair, placing it behind her shoulders.

He'd been sitting comfortably on the couch with his back resting against the soft pillows and his feet propped up on the coffee table. He knew Amelia hated it when he did that but at that moment she didn't protest, settling for sitting on his lap while using his shoulder to rest her head.

"Because Lucas fell asleep after his appointment with Dr. Davis this afternoon and I didn't have the courage to wake him up while I finished charting, so afterwards I carried him in my arms from the surgical floor to the car."

"It's not that long of a walk," Owen smiled at her, raising his eyebrows in question.

"Well, it is when your son is a dinosaur," Amelia sighed. All her sons with Owen were tall, strong built and solid, taking after their father. Lucas was six years old and he was the biggest and heaviest one of them all.

"A dinosaur?" Owen chuckled, knowing that carrying Lucas would definitely be a challenging exercise for someone as small as Amelia.

She gave him a playful scowl in protest and closed her eyes again, using her own arms to embrace him. Minutes later, Owen's attention quickly shifted from the football game back to his wife as she repeatedly moved on his lap, looking for the best position to alleviate the pain. All that rubbing and moving of her hips on his crotch was certainly distracting.

"Will you stop," Owen looked deeply into her eyes. "You're not helping me," He added, very seriously.

By the look on his wife's face, she was in no mood to be thinking about sex, so it was only fair she stopped enticing him.

"I'm not doing anything," Amelia grumpily replied, but stopped moving at his protest.

Owen realized the sad predicament she was in and in an attempt to comfort her, he rubbed her lower back gently, feeling her softly relaxing. Amelia breathed in and out heavily, feeling his warmth through the barrier of her clothes.

"How much longer until the game is over?" Her voice sounded muffled against his shoulder.

"And since when do you care for football?" Owen replied in a lighthearted tone, squeezing her naked thighs provocatively. As usual, Amelia wore only one of his shirts over her underwear, and he always rejoiced at the sight of her naked, firm thighs wrapped around his body.

"I could really use a massage," Her innocent voice explained her reason for asking, accompanied by a begging smile.

Owen's eyes moved from the game to meet her pleading gaze and he couldn't help laughing when he noticed the bribe stamped on her amazing blue eyes. Amelia often made it very hard for him to say no to her and Owen was completely aware of that.

"Fine," He replied with pretend impatience, checking the screen. "It's already at the end of the fourth quarter, shouldn't take more than fifteen minutes."

Amelia lifted her head up and turned her neck around to peek at the TV.

"It's not even your team that's playing!" She protested, frowning heavily at him.

"So?" Owen looked at her as if her argument was not only invalid, but also absurd.

"You know, two weeks from now when you're lying all alone in a makeshift bed in some random army base in Charleston you're going to be accompanied by nothing but football on a tiny, dusty screen and _then_ you'll regret not taking care of me."

"Why, will you have sex with me if I do?" Owen raised one eyebrow, visibly provoking her.

"No."

"Then why would I regret it?" He teasingly asked, smiling when Amelia playfully smacked him on the arm.

"Because," Amelia moved on his top again, on purpose rubbing her lips on the column of his neck. "I can take care of you right back," She added, running her fingers on the back of his head, slowly digging through his blonde locks, well aware of the effect it had on him.

Owen held his breath as his wicked wife gently caressed him while giving delicate kisses on his neck and jaw.

"I thought you were in pain," He groaned, unable to focus on the game anymore.

"I am," Amelia said in a tone of bribery, flagrantly seducing him. She bit her bottom lip very suggestively, knowing she wasn't being fair. "Babe, ease my pain…"

Owen closed his eyes and held his breath, trying to regain what little control he had left. He was a grown man and could take on a lot of things. Hearing Amelia moaning like that with a very special request definitely wasn't one of them. He knew she was in no shape of doing any of the dirty thoughts that were crossing his mind but still, he wouldn't be okay knowing she was in pain without trying to help her.

"You are a very wicked witch," Owen gave in, turning off the TV as he slowly rose from the couch with her wrapped in his arms. The game was almost over anyway and he doubted the result would change. At that moment, a more pressing matter demanded his attention.

He followed Amelia back to their room and the minute they stepped inside she stripped off his shirt and crashed on the bed on her stomach. Seconds later, Owen joined her and soon after, Amelia felt the warm touch of his amazing masculine hands on her back.

"Alright, now, where does it hurt?" Owen asked, realizing she was indeed very uncomfortable and had probably given herself a muscular strain.

"Everywhere in my lower back," Amelia replied with honesty, relaxing at the delicate rubs of his palms.

"Here?" Owen innocently asked, massaging her tiny frame with ease, careful not to add to her pain.

"Yes," Amelia moaned in response, feeling him kiss the area after she'd replied.

"How about here?" He slowly slid his open palms upwards on her back, admiring every curve of her gracious figure.

"There too."

"And here?"

"Yes," Amelia's voice was barely a whisper and Owen noticed how she closed her eyes and thoroughly enjoyed it when he kissed her skin.

Owen explored another area of her body, watching with delight the soft curves of the muscles on her back. Amelia was intense and often all over the place, but her body was so tiny and delicate that it completely contrasted with her powerful personality. Still smiling, he bent over and gave her a sweet kiss near her waist, using his fingertips to trace soft patterns on her sore muscles.

"Here too?" He was halfway ascending on her back when he watched Amelia nod in reply. Smiling at her flagrant excuse to receive more kisses, Owen bent over and affectionately nipped the skin of her upper back.

"My cervical hurts too," Amelia smiled with her eyes closed, letting him know that part was a lie.

"So you're sore everywhere," Owen played along, laughing in response. He lay next to her and gently bit her shoulders before kissing her neck, delighted at how her flawless ivory skin shivered at his touch.

"You're the best," Amelia moaned with pleasure when his hands resumed rubbing her lower back, exactly in the spot it hurt the most.

"I am," Owen cockily added, noticing with a pleased smile how the pain slowly vanished from her face and her expression softened.

He watched with a loving gaze as his wife once again opened and closed her eyes, relaxing at the touch of his hands.

"Oh, I love you," Amelia managed to whisper, seconds before she finally embarked on a deep sleep, grateful for what he was doing for her.

Owen smiled at her predicament and turned around to turn off the lights. He pulled the covers on the two of them and wrapped one arm around his wife's delicate frame after giving her an affectionate kiss on the cheek.

"I love you too."

.

Amelia opened her eyes when she felt something soft brushing against her neck. As the neurosurgeon turned around, she realized Owen had been kissing her while holding a mug and soon enough, the room was immersed in an amazing smell of fresh coffee.

"Hey…" She slowly regained conscience, smiling lovingly at him. But her relaxed expression quickly faded when her eyes found the clock on the nightstand. "Oh my God, Owen, it's past 8! What happened?"

Amelia quickly sat up, realizing belatedly she was nearly naked while Owen was already fully dressed up. That never happened. She never slept in. Ever since their first child had been born, Amelia would wake up before everybody.

"Calm down, it's okay," Owen reassured her, watching as his wife hurried into the bathroom.

"How is it okay, it's past eight and I have post ops to check, I should have been at work twenty minutes ago…" Amelia let out a heavy sigh, already up and running like it was usual.

"I called Edwards half an hour ago and told her you're sick," Owen explained. "After last night I wasn't sure if you'd make it to the hospital today and since I knew you hadn't scheduled any elective surgeries, I took the liberty of clearing your day."

"Owen!" Amelia protested, standing at the door that separated their bathroom from their bedroom with a toothbrush in her mouth.

"Edwards will call if something is up," He got ahead of the rant he was sure would be coming. "Don't worry, she says she'll do rounds this morning."

"I never sleep in…" Amelia shook her head, still finding it hard to believe.

"How many of those muscle relaxants did you take yesterday?" Owen raised an eyebrow at her from the bed, taking a sip of his coffee. The answer was stamped on her face as she broke eye contact with him, too proud to admit she'd taken more than one. "Yeah, see…" Owen playfully censored her. He knew the medication could make a person fall into a deep sleep and that probably had been why Amelia had fallen asleep so quickly the night before and hadn't woken up in her usual hour.

"Why didn't you wake me?" She folded her arms in front of her body, looking adorably angry.

"Because there was no need to," Owen smiled and placed the steamy mug on the nightstand. "Tonight it's Christmas Eve, I'll be going away soon and I thought we could use the day," He explained, staring affectionately at her, seeing as his words were winning her over. Amelia's grumpy scowl slowly turned into a convinced smile. When noticed she was starting to enjoy the idea, he locked eyes with her. "Come here."

Amelia couldn't help smiling widely and took five large strides in his direction, straight into his arms. When Owen was sure she had bent over to give him a kiss, she stole the mug from the bedside and took a sip, feeling invigorated by the warm drink.

"Are the boys up yet?" She inquired. The oldest ones were already on Christmas break at school and they would usually spend the day with their grandmother while their parents worked, whereas the little ones were left at Daycare.

"Tom is," Owen replied, pressing a kiss to her lips before standing up. "He wouldn't stop asking for you so I came here to see if you were still alive," He teased her.

Amelia smiled at his provocation and followed him downstairs, eager to see her son. Soon after, the other three boys woke up too and when the six of them were gathered in the living room after breakfast, Lucas proudly stepped forward holding a red and green envelope in his hand.

"Momma," The boy flashed his best smile at her. "We made this for you," He announced proudly.

Just two days before, Lucas and Thomas had been told by their grandmother that in the Hunt family they usually exchanged Christmas cards and that they should carry on the tradition. So on that same day, the two of them spent their afternoon playing with crafts and crayons and they ended up making a surprise for their mother. The twins had later joined the fun too and they had definitely left their marks on what was intended to be a simple card but ultimately had turned into a canvas-like creation.

Amelia opened the envelope and found a large sheet folded inside. With curiosity, she carefully straightened up the wrinkles on the paper, making it possible for her to read what was on it.

Slowly, her eyes scanned the content of what was supposedly a Christmas card. Among drawings of Christmas trees, present boxes and a very suspicious Santa Claus, she found words that were as simple as they were touching: _"Merry Christmas, mom. We love you."_

The meaning of the two simple sentences brought tears to her eyes as Amelia let out a happy chuckle. She smiled when she noticed the inverted L, probably written by Lucas. Both he and Thomas had signed their names on the end of the page, where there were also two prints of identical small hands, clearly Danny's and Robbie's. Since the twins couldn't write yet, they had made the words their own by adding their unwritten signature.

"This is very sweet," Owen commented with a cheerful smile, looking from the letter to the boys and then to his wife. "Wait, what's wrong?" He asked, noticing she was on the verge of tears.

Amelia's face was reddish and her eyes were swollen and shinning through the tears that insisted on gathering there. Owen noticed her upper lip trembling repeatedly before she finally lost the battle to her own emotions and bent down, wrapping their eldest son in a fierce hug. When Owen was sure she was going to reciprocate the boys' loving words, he heard her crying out:

"Momma is so sorry she called you a dinosaur!"

Owen thought that Lucas' startled expression added to the look of surprise on Thomas' face were hilarious responses and not at all what the boys had imagined.

"Are you sad, momma?" Thomas sheepishly asked, confused by her melt down.

Amelia finally let go of Lucas, allowing the boy to breath normally again and gazed at Thomas, noticing the evident worry on his face. He clearly had no clue why his mother was crying and was associating that with sadness. Without another thought, Amelia stretched out her arm and surrounded Thomas' body, bringing him to her embrace.

"I love you guys so much," She declared, smiling at him. "These are tears of joy… Because mom is so happy with your card that I'm crying."

"But when people are happy, they smile," Thomas frowned.

"Not always," Owen explained looking down at the scene with amusement.

Amelia proceeded to then hug the twins, watching as the two of them kept blissfully oblivious to everything at the same time Lucas looked from his mom to his dad with a very serious expression. The only other time he could remember someone acting like that was when his aunt Maggie was crying on her wedding day. Lucas was her ringbearer and he'd seen her cry minutes before walking down the aisle. When he'd asked, the boy was told they were also "tears of joy".

"Girls are weird," He decided, still unable to understand.

Amelia burst out laughing, feeling completely happy and enchanted. The pain in her lower back was still present, despite better, but not even that could disrupt her mood. Seeing her sons smile and hearing loving words from them worked better than any painkiller.

.

That was one of the best Christmases Amelia remembered having in her entire life. On the 24th, they went over to Evelyn's to have dinner with her and Amelia had a great time with her husband, their sons and some of the other Hunt family members. The best moment though was the morning of the 25th, when Amelia woke up before dawn and dragged Owen out of bed, hurrying him to place all the presents underneath the tree before the boys could wake up.

The magic and joy in their eyes when they gathered around and unwrapped their presents was something both Owen and Amelia would never get tired of. Even though Amelia had had a big family, after her fifth Christmas everything had just felt sad and incomplete without her dad. But ever since she'd become a mother, the holiday had gained an entirely new significance, much similar to the one it had when she'd been just a little girl.

"Did Santa bring you the toy you wanted?" Amelia cheerfully asked holding Danny sitting on her lap. The boy nodded excitedly while bouncing a Darth Vader figure made entirely of plush.

"Why do these pieces have to be so small?" Owen complained, sighing in frustration. He was on the floor helping Thomas build a new Lego set but actually assembling those tiny bricks was something nearly impossible.

"They are not that small, it's you who has ridiculously huge hands," Amelia teased, watching him struggle. Owen was very good at handwork, as long as it didn't involve finesse. "You know what, I got it," She gently placed Danny on the couch and joined her husband and five year old son near the coffee table, where they had hundreds of small bricks scattered beside an instruction booklet. "You have to keep this in your room when we're done building it, Tommy, I don't want your brothers anywhere near these tiny pieces," Amelia added, referring to the two year old twins who might choke on the tiny bricks if they decided to swallow them, which wouldn't be a surprise.

"I never heard you complain about my hands before," Owen gave her a particularly dirty look, making Amelia crack up laughing.

"I didn't say they weren't talented," Amelia added with a naughty grin. "I just said that they lack accuracy for detailed handwork."

"Yeah, right," Owen playfully rolled his eyes, watching Lucas excitedly show his new collection of cars to Robbie. His eyes then traveled back to his wife as he stared deeply into her eyes. "I'll show you the accuracy later."

"Stop being dirty on Christmas," Amelia censored him, but the smile growing on the corner of her lips let Owen know she absolutely didn't want him to stop.

.

After the amazing day playing with their boys, Owen did in fact show his wife that he knew a thing or two about accuracy.

"That was better than I imagined," Amelia confessed, wrapping one naked leg around his thigh. Owen had just given her a mind blowing orgasm and she had to admit he indeed had magical fingers.

"Are you going to miss me when I'm gone?" Owen rolled over to her top and captured her face between his hands, staring adoringly into her eyes. His questions had more to do with reassurance than insecurity and they both knew it.

"Stop, you're going to make me cry," Amelia replied, feeling sappy and ridiculous. She wasn't sure what had gotten to her lately, but she suspected it was fear added to anxiety. Being without Owen for so long wasn't something she was prepared for.

The last time they'd spent so much time apart had been a few months after their marriage, when she'd ran off to Los Angeles following a fight about having kids. After they'd made up, the two of them had pretty much been together nearly every day ever since.

"It's just Charleston, babe," Owen reminded his wife, kissing her cheek with loving devotion as he felt her fingers caressing the back of his head in a very familiar way. "It's not the desert. I'll be back soon and unscathed."

"If something happens to you, I'll kill you," Amelia threatened, knowing her worry was unfounded.

"I don't doubt it," Owen smiled at her with a mix of amusement and pride. "But don't suffer in anticipation. I won't leave for another ten days."

"I won't let you leave," Amelia spoke like a spoiled child, wrapping her arms around his neck and bringing him closer.

Owen chuckled and let her have her way with him, burying his face on the curve of her neck as he tried to reinforce the amazing smell of her hair and her body into his memory. Owen had gone off to war and he'd been deployed in longer missions, sometimes being away for a whole year.

But at that moment, three weeks seemed like a lifetime. Everything was different because it wasn't just him anymore. Now he had everything he'd always dreamt of, a family of his own, with amazing sons and a wife he loved more than life itself. It was hard to imagine not seeing her loving face and getting her tight hug every night, but Owen knew he'd be so busy with his duties that time would pass faster than he was used to.

He was enjoying the gentle strokes of her fingers in his hair, almost falling asleep, when her voice startled him.

"Just for register, of course I am." When Owen looked up in confusion to see what she was talking about, Amelia explained, "You'd asked me if I was going to miss you."

"Oh," He smiled heartily and shifted to lie on his side, keeping her safe in his arms. "I hope you don't get any more back injuries while I'm gone," Owen teased.

"I might," Amelia said, playfully trying to make him feel guilty. "Without you in here, I'm going to have to do the heavy lifting, you know."

Owen chuckled and kissed her temple. Amelia never failed to amuse him with her wit and banter.

"It's been such a great year," She confessed, turning her head sideways to look at him but Owen was already comfortably relaxing with his eyes closed. "I want next year to be just as good," She confessed, using her fingertip to outline his jaw affectionately.

"It'll be even better," Owen promised.

"You think so?" Amelia raised her eyebrows, snuggling up next to him.

Owen stretched his arm and brought her closer, slowly falling asleep with her tightly wrapped in his embrace.

"I know so."

Owen had no idea yet, but at that moment Amelia was already carrying their fifth child and that was already turning her emotions into a mess. In less than nine months, they would welcome a daughter into the world and their lives would be overflowing with more love than they could possibly have imagined back when they had first begun their relationship.

With all their ups and downs, Owen had no doubt that it was worth it. Everything was worth it. It made him cringe to remember that there was a time in his life that he'd been so lost and feeling so alone that he barely had somewhere to call home, settling for living from base to base, running off to war to avoid his sad reality of loneliness. A failed marriage with more heartbreak and denial had followed that, culminating with the belief that his dreams of having a family were a mere illusion of years listening to stories and fabricated happy endings.

But now Owen wasn't merely listening to a love story, he was actually creating one and that gave him more than enough fuel to wake up every morning with a smile on his face and bursting love in his heart. Because now, finally, after years of spending Christmas alone, either in a sad apartment in Seattle or a tent in the middle of the desert, Owen finally was living the dream he'd so long sought after.

And after being away in the army, he knew. He didn't need a fancy house or elegant address. Wherever in the world his wife and kids were, that was his place, and they were the home he'd always want to come back to.

—


	24. The Best I've Ever Had

This one Sets in the six months between My Boys and My Boys: Better Days

 **My Boys Drabbles** **– The Best I've ever had  
**

Amelia was focused typing a patient update on a virtual chart when a sudden bang on the door startled her. Looking up, she noticed Meredith and Maggie entering the attendings' lounge, apparently caught up in an intense conversation. It was obvious the duo was worked up about something.

"What?" Amelia frowned involuntarily, looking from one to the other.

"Nothing, we were just complaining," Maggie said in her usual cheerful mood while twisting the lid of her coffee cup. "I was telling Mer how furious it makes me that Andrew only asks me out to do something when he wants to have sex."

"Oh," Amelia replied with a smile. Maggie and Andrew Deluca had been recently married. "Well, and how is that a bad thing?" She added with a smirk.

"Shut up," Maggie laughed and nodded her head in disapproval. "I'm not complaining about the sex. I am complaining that we hardly ever spend any time together, you know? It's like he has his own interests, I have my own and we just happen to live in the same house and have amazing sex." Maggie's expression turned sad as she realized the weight of her words. "I don't know… I guess I just hoped we had more intimacy. Not sex, intimacy."

"Don't be such a baby, Maggie, all men are like that," Meredith twitched her lower lip and gave her sister a not so playful hard look. "Do you think Nathan is any different? He acts all cool and full of himself and he chased me forever claiming he wanted a relationship but sometimes I am pretty sure he looks at me after we've done it and wishes I were a pizza."

The three women cracked up at Meredith's bittersweet confession. They only realized Arizona Robbins was in the room because she swiftly joined the conversation with a smile.

"Don't beat yourselves about it, it's not just men who do that," Her lively smile was evident when she added, almost proud to also be fitting in. "Just last night I told Eliza that there's this parent-teacher reunion at Matt's school," Arizona confessed, referring to her son, "She asked me if we should draw a stick to decide who goes… I mean. Come on! Talk about devotion!"

The trio laughed heartily, looking at Arizona with amusement.

"Whenever I try to have a serious conversation with Andrew about the fact that he just won't listen to me, he says it's pointless to talk to me because he can't win a discussion when it's a monologue." Maggie starred at her friends, torn between crying and laughing. "I mean, can you believe it?!"

"Nathan doesn't introduce me to his friends. Other than Hunt and Kepner, I have no idea who he is friends with. He might be a secret army agent for all I know," Meredith added, causing another round of laughter.

"Eliza asks me if I'm about to cry every time we have a heated discussion," Arizona added. "I get so mad that _that_ makes me cry and then I hate myself for it. It happens every god damn time."

After the sound of the giggles had once again subsided, the three women gazed at the neurosurgeon at the same time, clearly expecting her to join the roast.

Amelia quickly tried to think of something to say. She didn't want to be the outcast.

"Owen never lets me watch what I want on the TV," She blurted out, wondering if she was the only who felt like her confession didn't compare to the others. "It's always either sports or action movies… He is so stubborn and possessive of the remote that I've long ago given up but it doesn't mean I want to kill him any less… Also he is always on my neck about leaving things out of place," She laughed at herself, thinking of how amusing it was to see her military strict husband going crazy with the piles of clothes she sometimes left scattered around the room.

Amelia knew that her "complaints" about Owen were ridiculous if compared to those of her colleagues but if they also noticed, they were too polite to say a word. The four women kept the lighthearted conversation until an MVC arrived in the ER and everyone got paged.

The neurosurgeon shared an OR with Maggie and Arizona as she tried to control a subdural hematoma on a pregnant woman, at the same time Arizona delivered a premature baby and Maggie tried to contain the damages of a punctured lung. After hours of hard work, the three outstanding surgeons were rewarded with a positive outcome, leaving the hospital that day with the amazing feeling of someone who had done their job more than well.

.

Amelia drove home through an unusual heavy traffic later that afternoon. Owen had already left work and taken the kids home, so she didn't need to rush in fear she'd be late to pick them up. As she waited patiently in the car, Amelia thought about the interesting conversation she'd had with her colleagues that day.

The three of them had always seemed happy and fulfilled in their relationships, at least on the exterior. Amelia was very close to Maggie and she knew her best friend's marriage wasn't a fairytale, but she had always supposed Maggie was satisfied in her romantic life. Amelia knew every couple had its problems and perks, but hearing all of those confessions that day had secretly disturbed her a little.

The truth was, she had never thoroughly thought about matters like those in her relationship with Owen. And involuntarily, Amelia started to wonder if it was a defense mechanism. If everyone else's relationships had its skeletons in the closet, it was only rational to think hers would too.

Maybe they had their own problems too and she just wasn't seeing it clearly? And if she did not see it, did it mean she was unconsciously avoiding it? Amelia wanted more than anything for her relationship with her husband to last for a lifetime and she was deeply invested in making him as happy as he made her every day. Owen had never showed any signs that he was unsatisfied with the way they had chosen to build their family and Amelia couldn't help comparing him to her friends' spouses. Andrew Deluca, Nathan Riggs and Eliza Minnick were also the very private kind of people, so it was hard to figure where they came from. But maybe Owen was too private? To the point that even she, who she considered the closest person to him, couldn't see the utter truth?

The turn her thought had taken made her stomach churn and Amelia distractedly pushed the gas pedal when traffic moved, making her way home with a heavy frown on her forehead. She couldn't help reminiscing about the content of the conversation earlier that afternoon and tried to rationally draw parallels where she and Owen were concerned.

Her comparison quickly proved to be pointless because Amelia quickly realized that she couldn't complain about Owen not listening to her or belittling her emotions. He was attentive and considerate of her feelings. Even though to the world Owen was a very reserved guy, in the privacy of their home he was always very affectionate and caring. Despite his personal interests such as sports, cars and being out in the woods, things that to Amelia made no sense, never had he given his wife reason to doubt how much he enjoyed her company, much on the contrary.

Amelia honestly believed them to be very intimate, considering she felt comfortable to openly talk to him about pretty much anything. It was hard to remember a situation when she'd felt like she had to lie to him. And Amelia also couldn't think of a time when Owen had on purpose used any of her weaknesses against her during a fight.

Those ideas were still dwelling on her mind when the neurosurgeon parked the car in the garage of their house. The chilly air of November gave her shivers as she approached the front door, opening it in a hurry to get rid of the cold.

One of the twins stood in the living room only in his diapers and at the sight of Amelia, came quickly running in his mother's direction, wrapping his arms fiercely around her thigh. She bent down and kissed the two year old, running her fingers through his smooth head of strawberry blonde locks.

"Come on Danny, it's bath time…" Owen's voice came from the back of the house as he quickly approached the living room. "Hey, I didn't hear you coming," He added, smiling at Amelia before playfully chasing after their son, who had turned running from his dad into a big joke.

"Is it this late already?" Amelia checked the clock near the TV, noticing it was almost eight. She'd been so immersed in her thoughts that the hour and a half she'd spent stuck in traffic hadn't felt that long. "I completely lost track of time," The neurosurgeon confessed, dumping her purse on the couch and taking off her coat.

She noticed Danny was still running around, driving his father crazy and before the boy could foresee it, she encircled him from behind, embracing his chubby frame before her son could react.

Amelia could hear the toddler's loud giggles while carrying him all the way to the bathroom, where she was later joined by the rest of the family when Owen went upstairs with the other three boys. Amelia helped out with the kids' routine and after they were properly cleaned, she went to Thomas and Lucas' room to tell them a bedtime story while Owen took care of the twins.

Amelia took more time getting the two oldest boys to fall asleep than she'd predicted and afterwards, she went to her own bathroom to take a long, relaxing shower. Much later, she found Owen sitting on the couch in the living room. The TV was on but he wasn't paying any attention, settling instead for laughing at something playing on his cell phone screen.

"What do you have there? She asked with amusement, contaminated by his flagrant joy.

"You have to watch this," Owen's smile was so genuine that it reached all the way to his eyes. "Look at what the boys pulled off earlier today…" Her husband hit the play button on the video and Amelia leaned over his shoulder to watch on the small screen the footage of Lucas throwing a miniature football at an impressive distance while Thomas ran to catch it. "Did you see that pass?" Owen's eyes shone with pride as he obviously rejoiced in it. "It was at least a fifteen yard pass and babe, he is six! If he keeps at this rate he'll be the Hawks QB when he is fifteen." Owen exaggerated with fatherly enchantment, completely biased.

"I thought you said he was going to play soccer?" Amelia frowned at him, smiling into his eyes. "Oh wait, last week you said he was going to be a… What was it again? Professional party planner?"

"I honestly can see him doing both," Owen couldn't stop smiling as he went on telling his wife about what else the boys had been up to from the moment he'd brought them home from school up until her arrival.

At that point, Amelia had already gone from behind his back to sit beside her husband on the couch. As she noticed the sparkle in his eyes when he mentioned their four sons, unable to hide how much he loved being a father, Amelia's mind echoed with her thoughts from earlier that day.

"So Tommy told me I couldn't call it ice anymore because in order to be ice, it requires that water stays in a solid state and I was mindblown by his perfect logic," Owen shook his head with a smile as he summarized the events of that afternoon. "What?" He asked his wife, furrowing an eyebrow. "Why are you looking at me like that?" Owen asked with genuine curiosity. It had become rather rare for him to not know what was going on in his wife's mind only by her facial expression but at that moment Amelia was looking at him in a way he couldn't remember her ever looking at him before. Her face was a mix of anguish, happiness and longing and Owen was having a hard time figuring out what emotion could be connected with the three.

"I love you, you know that, right?" Amelia stretched both her arms and reached for his face, gently holding it between her palms. "I mean, do I say it enough?" She rubbed his cheek affectionately. "Do I say it enough so that you know I do?"

Owen's expression got heavier as he tried to read her but still couldn't.

"Yeah, I know you do," He replied, clueless as to where that was coming from. "Are you okay?"

"Yes!" Amelia's laughter echoed amidst her agonized expression. Owen noticed her features softened with the beautiful smile that grew from the corner of her lips, illuminated by her charming dimples.

"Why are you being weird?" Owen asked after a few seconds, gently holding her hands that were still on his face. He studied her eyes carefully, still unable to come up with an answer only by deduction.

"How could I have been so stupid…"Amelia rolled her eyes impatiently and nodded her head in denial. That was when Owen realized she was talking to herself. He noticed her biting her lower lip as she often did when she was struggling, before finally making eye contact with him again. "You're amazing, you know that too, right?"

"What?" Owen's confusion grew but before he could get any answers his wife threw her arms around his neck and held him so tightly that her knuckles turned white. "Babe, are you okay?"

After long seconds of holding him close, Amelia finally pulled apart a little, just enough to look into his eyes again.

"I just needed you to know how thankful I am…" Amelia confessed, feeling cheesy and sappy but completely honest. "It's taken me exhausting and painful years of learning to get where I am today but I wouldn't change _anything_ ," She reinforced, stroking his cheek with her thumb as she shared her innermost feelings. "Because it has led me to the exact place I've always wanted to be."

When he noticed she was saying those words not from pain, but from joy, Owen smiled along with her, capturing the back of her head with his hand.

"What has Maggie been saying to you today?" Owen raised an eyebrow in question. "What have the two of you been up to to trigger you like this?" He asked in a lighthearted tone, absolutely sure that the other half of that conspiracy duo that were Maggie and his wife had played a role in Amelia's unexpected meltdown.

His wife's loud laughter echoed through the room as Amelia relaxed, amused at how well Owen knew her. And to think she had actually wondered if they weren't intimate enough. The truth was, he could stare right through her eyes and strip her bare soul with an intensity that was at the same time startling but very comforting. Ever since she'd married him, Amelia had never felt lonely again.

"Maggie, Meredith and Arizona were trash talking their spouses today," Amelia confessed with a teasing smile. "They were complaining about how they're often unheard and how emotionally distant they sometimes feel."

"Oh," Owen was intrigued, trying to connect the dots. "And what did you say about me? Was I trash talked too?" He asked with a smile, having fun with her delighted expression.

Amelia propped both her legs on his lap and got closer to him, feeling Owen's hand possessively holding her thigh as she confessed:

"I told them the uttermost truth," She tried to sound serious but her smile completely betrayed her. "I said you're a selfish bastard who only thinks about yourself and make me miserable every day," Amelia laughed at the absurdity of her own words, seeing how her husband was cracking up too.

"Did you tell them how much we lack chemistry in bed?" Owen held her chin between his thumb and forefinger, visibly playing her game. "That is obviously one of the downsides of our marriage."

"I told them that even though you have a big gift, you don't know how to put it to good use," Amelia lied to provoke him, unable to keep serious any longer.

The loud sound of her laughter was muffled by the kiss stolen by Owen's smiling lips.

"Your capacity to turn everything into a dirty conversation never fails to baffle me," Owen confessed, having more fun than he would care to admit.

"Hey! I said it's a big talent," Amelia's eyes sparkled with lust. "You should be proud."

"You are unbelievable…" Owen gave in, surrendering to her as he brought her closer for another kiss.

Amelia felt his kisses deepening as Owen leaned over her and imprisoned her body beneath his on the couch. He took one last mirthful look at her before closing his eyes again, starting a trail of kisses from her face to her collarbone. Still not completely satisfied, Owen pulled up her shirt and descended his lips on her body, alternating intense kisses and gentle bites throughout the soft skin of her belly.

Amelia's hand involuntarily searched for his head as her fingers ran through his blonde locks, bringing him closer to herself. As she forced him up for another kiss, Owen pressed his body firmly against her, letting Amelia feel the intensity of her desire against her thighs.

"There's the big boy talent," She joked, capturing his lower lip between her own as her hand swiftly reached down for him.

Owen closed his eyes, drowning in desire when her hands invaded the inside of his pajama pants, leaving only the barrier of his underwear between their bodies.

"Are we going to do this here?" He gently lifted his head to make sure she was certain about it. He knew that once they started for real, it was much harder to stop, and Amelia was often concerned about being walked in on by their boys.

"They've just fallen asleep, let's take a chance," She decided, knowing the twins couldn't leave their cribs and the probability of either Lucas or Thomas waking up around that time was close to none. "Come on, take off those pants," She ordered, being bossy on purpose.

Owen smiled as he reached his hands down but instead of doing as she'd commanded, he pulled down her own yoga pants from beneath the large T-shirt she was wearing.

Amelia laughed when she realized his intentions and the clear rebellious act to her command.

"I thought I was going to prove a point?" She winked, clearly referring to his sexual prowess.

"I think I'd prefer to share my talent rather than be complimented on it," Owen spoke in her own dirty language, grabbing her thighs and pulling them apart as he covered her body with his.

Amelia felt the softness of the couch pillows behind her back and quickly pulled up Owen's shirt before ridding him of his pants and underwear. She barely had any time to resume their foreplay when he did as told and shared the full extent of his so called talent with her, slowly entering her body while looking deeply into her eyes.

"What the f…" Amelia gasped, breathless, as the intensity of his gaze completely tore apart her defenses. "What are you doing? Don't stop," She protested when, after joining their bodies, Owen stopped moving.

"Don't be impatient," Owen teased her, pulling her shirt all the way to her shoulders and capturing one of her breasts between his lips. Amelia closed her eyes and involuntarily arched her back, drawing her head backwards to gasp for air as he left her completely breathless.

Owen was still inside her when his lips went from one breast to another and his hands traveled through her body with experienced ease. Unable to hold herself any longer, Amelia cupped his butt cheeks with her hands, forcing him deeper inside her as she motioned her hips upwards, in a clear indication of her demands.

When their eyes met, Owen smiled lovingly at her, noticing the intensity of her gaze. He slowly started to increase the rhythm of his strokes, feeling his wife quickly catching up with him. The minute he buried his face on the crook of her neck, feeling the amazing smell of her skin, he felt her fingers pulling his hair as she clung to him while her body lost all control in delicious spasms that lasted longer than his own.

Owen stayed on top of her with the side of his face pressing against her breasts as the two of them slowly caught their breaths.

"That's what I call good quality quickie," Amelia confessed, making him laugh. A comfortable silence surrounded them for a while longer before she randomly asked. "Babe… Do you guys trash talk us too?"

"What do you mean?" Owen lifted up his head to look her in the eyes before he sat up and grabbed his boxers and pajama pants, putting them on to prevent any accidents.

"I mean," Amelia tried to think of how to phrase it as she slowly got dressed too. "Do you and the rest of the guys talk about us when you're alone? On Monday night basketball for example?" She asked with curiosity.

Owen frowned hard, trying to carefully concentrate on the question.

"We're not a bunch of girls, Amelia," He shrugged with a teasing smile. "We don't discuss our feelings when we're playing basketball or having a beer."

"Liar!" Amelia playfully hit his shoulder with a pillow, knowing she would never know the truth because even if Owen was in fact lying, he would never admit it.

"Not a liar…" Owen looked at her, his eyes shining with mirth. "A selfish bastard who aims to make your life miserable. If you're going to do this, then phrase it correctly."

Amelia laughed at the way he'd opportunistically repeated her words, enjoying his wit. Not only was her husband a good, decent man and an amazingly devoted father, he was also one of the few people in her life who could challenge her fast thinking and reasoning abilities.

"I love how miserable you make me," Amelia's expression let him know what she was really feeling even though her words were completely goofy. "It's a dream come true."

"That's exactly what every guy wants to hear," Owen joked back, relaxing on the couch under her touch.

"I know, right?" Amelia smiled, completely at peace. "I'm starving," She confessed, realizing she had skipped dinner but the quick, but intense lovemaking had opened her appetite. "Let's eat."

.

"Guess who called me earlier today," Amelia casually said, sitting on the kitchen counter while watching her husband heating dinner leftovers for the two of them.

"Who?" Owen asked distractedly, moving around the kitchen.

"Nancy," Amelia replied with a girlish smile, crossing her legs. "She said she called me to ask how I was doing. Nancy never called before to ask how I'm doing." The neurosurgeon scowled, as if disturbed by her sister's behavior.

Owen turned his head gently and gave his wife a nod with pretend impatience. He knew her sisters had always given her a hard time but Amelia wasn't exactly a piece of cake either. Just a couple of months before, Nancy and Carolyn Shepherd had been in Seattle visiting and Owen could distinctively tell how the heartfelt conversation Amelia had had then with her sister was positively reflecting on their relationship on the present days.

"Did you complain about me to her too?" He jokingly asked.

"No," Amelia let out a loud chuckle, unable to stop smiling at his witty banter.

"Well, I guess you kind of don't have to, she already hates me," Owen added with a lighthearted tone, despite the fact that he meant his words.

"Naah, she doesn't," Amelia corrected him, stealing a spoonful of a nutella jar that was the counter even though they were just about to have dinner. "She envies you. There's a difference. She wishes she had you. But she can't, because you're mine and I called dibs on you first," The neurosurgeon added with her usual liveliness, thoroughly focused on scratching the leftover sweets from its small container.

Hearing his wife talking about him like he was a toy that could not be shared with her sister made Owen involuntarily grin from ear to ear. He would never grow tired of her spontaneity and freedom of spirit.

"I have never been more flattered in my life," Owen stopped what he was doing to look into his wife's eyes.

Amelia looked up from the jar to his eyes. The spoon was still inside her mouth when she smiled back at him, absolutely happy. The conversation with her colleagues earlier that day once again replayed in Amelia's mind and she realized that Nancy wasn't the only one who wished she had an Owen in her life.

If there was one thing Amelia knew she felt, it was gratitude. She and her husband had started from the bottom and after dealing with a lot of pain, grief and traumas from their past, they'd built the life they'd always wanted, solidified in mutual trust, admiration and profound love. She was pretty sure that in her position, not everyone would have had the courage to give herself completely, considering how many times she had been heartbroken before.

Amelia had struggled with it at first but then she had taken a chance because she had believed in Owen and in the potential they had as a team. And her intuition had proved to be nothing but right.

"Everyone wants a piece of you but they can't have it because I don't share," Amelia laughed, finally tossing aside the spoon as she pulled Owen by his shirt. "I mean how could they not want this?" She slid her hands across his chest provocatively."You're top notch material. Look at that gorgeous bottom. Who wouldn't want to tap that?"

"Everyone would," Owen played along with her nonsense, giving her a warm smile.

"They already do."

"Yeah?" Owen gazed lovingly into her eyes, placing one lock of her hair behind her ear, watching as his wife had the time of her life teasing him. He knew Amelia had been through a lot in her life and he admired her resilience. His wife's capacity to have been through hell and still wake up every morning with a smile on her face, hoping for the best, was something refreshing to be around every day. Owen also felt very grateful for her.

"Stop gloating," She noticed his smirk but couldn't help smiling. Owen was her most powerful source of strength at the same time he was her biggest weakness.

"You said I was the best," Owen's corner smile proved how proud he was of himself. "How wouldn't I gloat?"

"I did _not_ say that," Amelia raised one eyebrow, watching with satisfaction as his cockiness turned into frustration. She loved teasing and pestering him. At the end of the day, it didn't really matter what career decision they had made, or in which house they lived in, or how much they fought over the remote control. All that mattered was how decent Owen was and how well he treated her. No one had ever made her that happy and she wouldn't change him for anyone else. His comment, despite containing a sexual innuendo, was still very much true. Because that was exactly what she felt about him, in the privacy of their house or anywhere in the outsideworld. "But I have to admit it though," Amelia wrapped her arms around his neck, giving him one last kiss before they could finally have dinner. "You really are the best I've ever had."


	25. Lucas - Part One

People have asked me to write about Lucas's previously mentioned difficult birth. I stretched it and made it all the way from the discovery of the pregnancy and I plan to take it all the way to parenthood.

This one sets after Omelia's fight and make up around 13x09 (you can read all about it in the story called "The One Who Got Away", it's in my profile) and it intertwines with the event of "My Beginning". When this story starts, they've been married approximately for 7 months.

 **My Boys Drabbles** **– Lucas (Part One)**

Amelia distractedly looked over her phone, trying not to focus on the clock, otherwise those minutes would never pass. It wasn't the first, second or even third time in her life that she took a home pregnancy test. As expected, she was a little anxious and nervous about the result but deep down she knew it was most likely a new negative.

About seven months before, she'd married an amazing man who had introduced her to a world full of new possibilities. When Amelia's first insecurities had started to show, right in the moment she'd decided to share some of her past with him, Owen had been amazingly supportive, revealing to her a scarred part of himself to let her know he was just as invested in making their relationship work. That had led Amelia to jump in with both feet, becoming instantly excited about the idea of starting a family with him.

But it hadn't taken the neurosurgeon long to find out once again that demons from the past always caught up with a person, no matter how hard one tried to avoid their presence. A deeply buried box of feelings, insecurities and traumatizing experiences had emerged the minute Amelia had started dealing with long avoided emotions. Soon enough, completely taken over by fear, she had repeated what had often worked as a defense mechanism before and ran away as fast as she could, denying every feeling within herself.

To her surprise, Owen had followed her and he'd given her the strength Amelia hadn't known she needed to move on. Her husband had held and comforted her while actually listening. He had understood and in that moment, Amelia knew that that was the man she wanted to build her entire future with.

Knowing about her reservation about becoming pregnant, Owen had patiently suggested they considered other possibilities. Even though that had comforted Amelia back then, at the present moment she was leaning towards the traditional course. She wanted to carry Owen's baby, knowing this would make his biggest dream come true. Her husband had never pushed her to do it, even though he had confessed that seeing her pregnant with his baby was one of his most latent desires. And slowly, over the six months they'd been together, Amelia's excitement about having his baby had progressively overcome the fear that had once been so flagrant.

Of course Amelia still had doubts and insecurities. She knew those would never vanish. But right now, there was also hope. And the undying certainty that no matter what happened, with Owen by her side, they were capable of going through anything.

She was so distracted by her own thoughts that her eyes took longer than needed to examine the stick. Just the previous week, Amelia had taken one of those and it came back negative. Over the past six months she and Owen had casually discussed trying again but never really making an official decision. She hadn't stopped taking the pill but was being way more reckless than usual. Which was why the two lines on the home pregnancy test shouldn't have surprised her.

But they did.

The surgeon sat on the toilet for what felt like hours, examining the life changing information in her hands. Amelia thought about how once, about six weeks before, she had asked Owen to put a baby inside of her on the same morning she'd told him she was going to add his name to hers.

Owen had been exhilarated when she'd shared her desire to have a traditional, boring, ordinary life with him. It had always been his biggest dream to have a big family with wife and kids. Amelia knew this moment would be an unforgettable one for them. And she couldn't wait to tell him.

.

Owen stood still while holding his wife fiercely in his arms. She had just given him the most amazing news. He had come home on an ordinary evening blissfully unaware, only to find out that that day would turn out to be nothing but ordinary.

Amelia was pregnant with _their_ child and never in his life had he felt prouder. Not only was she carrying his baby, she was also _excited_ to be doing so. The last time Owen had received news such as those, his heart had been shattered into a thousand pieces. A part of his soul had been taken the day he'd had to sit through the procedure that had robbed him of the possibility to become a father. But all was different now. And Owen had to cling to that with every fiber of his being. He couldn't afford losing another part of his soul. He wasn't sure he would survive it.

"Owen?" Amelia called him out, seeing he had his arms still tightly wrapped around her and didn't seem to want to let go.

His lack of response made her frown and let her know something wasn't right. Gently, Amelia pulled apart, unconsciously holding onto the diamond ring that represented the promise he'd just made to her. Owen had vowed that he would always be there for her and their child. She believed him with everything she had. Owen was going to be an amazing father just as he was an amazing person. The family man in him was very much alive and Amelia loved it.

"Babe, what's wrong?" She forced him to look at her and noticed a dark shadow clouding the usual liveliness of his light blue eyes. "Are you okay?" Amelia hesitated, startled by the expression on his face. That was not at all what she'd expected to see. "Are you… Are you having doubts about this?"

Owen kept looking at her as if he was frozen in time and space and Amelia swallowed hard, fearing the words that would come out of his mouth when he eventually spoke. The fact that she had no idea what was on his mind was scary and startling, but Amelia was doing her best to contain her anxiety.

"You're keeping it, right?" Owen asked with a hoarse voice and Amelia could swear he was going through a painful battle of emotions. He knew Amelia wanted to have kids and she wouldn't get rid of them because she didn't want to be a mother. But maybe her fear of carrying a child would lead her to do it. He needed to know. Owen needed to be sure because once he let himself get involved, he knew he would be instantly carried away with an undying love for their kid. And he couldn't risk losing another one.

His doubt hit her harder than she would have imagined. Amelia wasn't offended by his question because she understood where it came from. Several times before, they'd discussed her traumas and he'd understood every reservation she had about having a child because of what she'd been through.

But very few times they'd gone over the fact that once Owen had lost a child too. He hadn't been able to hold his baby in his arms but the pain and agony had been there all the same. He'd desired a child, conceived one and ultimately had been denied the possibility of being the father he had always dreamed of being. Amelia didn't know what that was like, but she could imagine that like her, he had also gone through soul shaping pain and the repercussion of that trauma was the fear stamped in his eyes when he'd asked her that simple but very important question.

"Of course I'm keeping it," She teared up as their eyes met. Amelia could spot all the expectation and anxiety there and his smile of relief when she answered his question made her heart swell with emotions. "Owen, this is our child. I'm in this for real. This is us building a family together. I'm all in, I want this… More than anything, I want this."

Owen didn't have good enough words to express how he felt. Before Amelia could see it, she felt him kneeling down in front of her, gently reaching out for her shirt. She was pulled forward when Owen's arms wrapped around her hips and his lips touched the sensitive skin below her bellybutton.

Amelia chuckled and dug her fingers through his hair, hearing the delicious sounds of the kisses he was planting on her lower belly. Owen smiled as he rejoiced in that new reality. His wife was pregnant and he was able to thoroughly enjoy it, rather than having to spend his time convincing her why she should keep it. Amelia had been pregnant once but that experience was entirely new for her too because in her previous pregnancy, she had been all alone. That was not her reality anymore.

"How far along are we?" Owen asked, splaying one hand on her lower abdomen, proudly.

Amelia noticed his choice of pronoun and smiled lovingly at him.

"I don't know, I just took the urine test today… But considering my last period I'd say we're about five or six weeks."

"So it's very early on," Owen held her hips and kissed her non existing bump once again before standing up to stare into her eyes.

"It is," Amelia confirmed with a head nod, unable to stop smiling. Her top was still pulled up when she pressed her body against his.

"Good," Owen added with an approving smile. "I want to enjoy every single moment we possibly can."

Amelia saw the excitement in his eyes and couldn't help standing on the tips of her toes to give him a kiss on the lips.

"Do you want to find out tomorrow?" She asked him excitedly. "With the Ultrasound, I mean? We can find out exactly how far along we are."

Amelia hadn't yet taken a blood test to confirm the pregnancy but she was fairly sure she was indeed pregnant. After her first urine test came back positive, she'd taken another and it'd showed the same result. She was also a few weeks late and that never happened.

"Of course I do," Owen replied with happiness stamped in his eyes. He still couldn't believe it was real. "Do you think we'll be able to see the heartbeat? I really want to see the heartbeat," He realized.

"Absolutely," Amelia replied, contaminated by his effusive joy. Despite all her reservations and fears, she also couldn't wait for that moment.

.

Later that night, Amelia wasn't surprised when, the minute she crawled into bed, Owen held her in his arms and captured her lips on a tempting kiss. His smile when he pulled apart said it all and she rolled over to his top, allowing him to undress her.

Owen lay back against the pillows, fully admiring his view as he slowly pulled Amelia's shirt up through her arms. His hands rubbed her arms affectionately and she leaned over, holding his face between his hands as she pulled him in for another long, passionate kiss.

Amelia felt the warmth of his hands going up and down on her naked back, sending shivers through her spine. She got Owen rid of his clothes and watched with delight as he carefully laid her on her back, touching her with more delicacy than he ever had before.

"Are you afraid to touch me?" She teased him, knowing he probably didn't even realize he was doing it.

"What?" Owen furrowed his forehead defensively. "Of course not."

Amelia smiled mischievously, knowing he was lying. His body language said it all.

"Owen, I am pregnant, not sick. I won't break into two pieces. You don't have to touch me like I'm made of crystal."

He looked again into her eyes, tempted to deny he was being overly careful but her teasing voice and loving stare ended his defenses. With a chuckle, Owen admitted what he had unconsciously been doing.

"I'm sorry, I didn't realize I was doing it," He confessed, twitching his lips playfully.

"It's okay," She stroked his cheek with her thumb affectionately. "I won't break," She reinforced but when her smile went from sweet to plainly dirty, Owen knew more was coming. "I might bend, though."

He let out a loud laughter at her witty remark and returned her smile, supporting his weight on his elbows before leaning over her to kiss Amelia at his will. His hands ran through her body as did his lips. Owen's fingers were dancing on the hem of her pants as he was about to pull them down when something caught his attention.

"What is this?" He stopped the trail of kisses and lifted his neck to take a closer look.

Amelia's body protested the loss of contact with his lips but she tried hard to regain focus, belatedly processing his question.

"What?"

"This," Owen pointed to a tiny dark mark on the side of her hips. It was almost invisible and he had to squint to read when he realized there was something written on there.

"Oh," Amelia smiled sheepishly when she realized what he was talking about. "It's a date."

"A date…" Owen frowned in confusion, realizing she was right. The outline of numbers was clear then. "Since when did you have that tattooed there?"

"For a couple of months now," Amelia confessed with a big grin, amused by the surprise in his eyes.

"What?!" Owen was taken aback. "How come I never noticed this until now?"

"Because you didn't look," Amelia loved the confusion in his eyes and took a deep breath before explaining, smiling widely. "You're usually too busy with your hands all over me to notice anything… Not that I'm complaining, though," She bit her lower lip, flashing him with a lustful smile. "Also, it didn't help that the lights are usually off."

"But…" Owen was surprised and disappointed at himself for not noticing before. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I wanted to see your reaction when you noticed it," She confessed with a large smile, unknowingly seducing him with a sight of her dimples. "And to be honest, at this point I had nearly forgotten about it."

"But why did you do it?" Owen caressed her hair gently, reveling in the image of the dark locks spilled across the white pillow. "Why did you have those numbers tattooed there?"

"It's our wedding date," Amelia confessed with a child like smile, excited to see his reaction.

"Really?" Owen's face went from shocked to amused. He bent over her and examined the tattoo once again before facing her again. "I can't believe you did this…" He added with a proud smile. The significance of the gesture touched his heart deeply. "You know what, I actually can… This kind of stuff shouldn't surprise me anymore," Owen shook his head in playful denial. "But I have to be honest and admit it still does," Owen held her face possessively with one hand and stared deeply into her eyes. "You are amazing."

Amelia smiled back and felt the meaning of his words when Owen stole another kiss that left her breathless. That night, he loved her in the sweetest way Amelia had ever experienced. Every touch of his hands and lips were filled with love and care. Owen, even with all his intensity and raw masculinity, could still take her breath away with his sweet devotion and burning passion, making Amelia feel the luckiest to have him by her side, creating with her a future that was every day more amazing.

.

Owen sat down by Amelia's side, excitedly moving on the metal stool by the bed. They were in the obstetrics wing and Amelia had asked Arizona Robbins to meet them there. Even though Arizona wasn't exactly the best at keeping things to herself, both Owen and Amelia knew she was in fact the best attending at reading pregnancy scans due to her fetal surgery background.

Amelia bit her lower lip, trying her best to control her nervousness. Despite it being too early on to tell anything that might be wrong with the baby, she desperately hoped they wouldn't have to worry about it for the time being. Starting on the right foot was always comforting and Amelia held onto that hope.

Soon enough, Arizona joined them in the room and cheerfully sat down to perform the exam, smiling widely at the couple. Amelia appreciated it when Owen automatically reached out for her hand the minute Arizona inserted the probe in Amelia's body, starting the scan.

"Ohhh, there it is," The fetal surgeon smiled widely, looking from the screen to her colleagues and then again at the image. "Gestational sac looks good, there's the yolk sac…" Arizona said cheerfully, taking measurements. "Look guys, there's a good looking jelly bean," She mirthfully added, pointing to the embryo with a white arrow. "Steady heartbeat. It's at 110 beats per minute now, which is great. Not much else to see at this point, but according to the size, you're at six weeks and four days… Does it match your last period?" Arizona asked, looking from the scan to Amelia and receiving an affirmative nod in response. "Alright then," The fetal surgeon added some notes before she printed the scan. "So according to this your due date is July 15th. You have a long way until then but it's going to be a fun ride, I'm sure. Congratulations, guys."

When Arizona left the room, Amelia slowly sat up on the patient's bed, seeing Owen stand by her side. When their eyes met, she could see he felt as emotional and excited as she did. Without a second thought, Amelia stretched out her arms, being promptly hugged back by her husband.

"I am so happy," She confessed, taking a deep breath and feeling the familiar scent of his clothes. "And so relieved."

The words left her mouth before Amelia could have any control. She subtly pulled apart, meeting his gaze at the same time she tried to hide her embarrassment.

"I know, babe," Owen gave her an emotional smile filled with comprehension. "I am too."

"Yeah?" Amelia leaned over for another hug, resting her head on his chest as his arms slowly wrapped around her again.

"Absolutely," Owen reassured her, giving his wife another kiss on the top of her head before letting go of her body.

He helped her get rid of the gown and back into her clothes. Once Amelia was already fully dressed in her scrubs, she fixed her hair while letting him know:

"I want to call Addison," The neurosurgeon said, absolutely sure of that. "I am going to email her this scan. Even though I know she can't do my pre natal consults because of the distance, I still want her to be involved."

Owen knew that the world class OBGYN was probably the one Amelia trusted the most for medical advice and he believed his wife should do whatever made her feel safest. Addison was a trusted friend who had been by Amelia's side through her first pregnancy and it made all the more sense that Amelia found comfort in her support.

"Sure," She gave him a pat on the back as they left the room. "But would she be involved in the labor too? How would that work? I mean, we need someone who's here that we can call and see in case we need to."

"Arizona can do that."

"Arizona is not an obstetrician," Owen informed her, very seriously. "She can do the baby part, but someone has to do the mom part," He decided, absolute adamant that his wife got all the care she needed.

"Fine, I'll set up an appointment with someone from OB," Amelia gave in.

"Amelia," Owen censored her, doubting that she would do as told. He pushed the elevator button and waited with her, seeing how distracted she looked.

"I will," She insisted, but her voice didn't sound so sure.

"You know what," He added with a smile. " _I_ will set the appointment. You call Addison. Deal?"

Amelia smiled in response and gave him a peck on the lips. She trusted Arizona and Addison, and she honestly didn't think they needed anyone else. But if that made Owen feel safer, she would go to the appointment.

"This pregnancy has barely started and you're already being difficult," Owen rolled his eyes playfully, foreseeing that soon enough, a rush of hormones would add emotional liability to his already very stubborn wife. "I can't wait," He added ironically.

Amelia smiled and swiftly gave him a squeeze on the butt, making Owen's eyes grow wide with shock as she escaped through the elevator doors, heading towards the surgical floor. He watched with loving eyes as his wife left and made his way to the ER, still clueless to just how much trouble Amelia would create in the long months that were yet to come.

–


	26. Lucas - Part Two

**My Boys Drabbles** **– Lucas (Part Two)**

Owen strolled through the busy ER corridors, making his way to the cafeteria. Within seconds, he spotted the table where some of his closest work colleagues were having lunch and joined the group. Not ten minutes after, his wife came towards them carrying her own tray.

"Hey guys," She smiled at Maggie and Alex before taking a seat next to her best friend.

Maggie noticed that even though Amelia had smiled sympathetically to everyone, she had reserved a particularly dangerous glare for Owen, before ignoring him completely. The way Owen impatiently rolled his eyes before focusing again on his meal also didn't go unnoticed.

"What's going on?" Maggie quizzically asked, trying to lighten up the atmosphere. She looked from Owen to Amelia, expecting an answer but neither of them seemed to want to give any.

"Nothing," Amelia said, bothered by the long lasting silence that had taken over.

"Then why are you looking at Hunt like you're about to kill him?" Alex intervened with his typical serenity before taking a bite of his lunch.

Amelia looked from her friends to her husband and then back at Maggie, carefully breathing out through her nose in an attempt to control her anger.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Amelia replied and instantly looked at her plate, unconsciously avoiding eye contact not to give away her lie.

"Please," Owen scoffed and stared at her, looking baffled.

Amelia had promised herself the day before that she wasn't going to address another word to her husband until he apologized to her, but hearing his sarcasm made the blood rush inside her veins.

"I'm not talking to you," She snapped, angrily holding onto the fork in her hand.

"What did you do?" Maggie carefully asked, not really directing the question to any of them.

"Owen locked the nursery!" Amelia complained out loud, unable to keep her promise of ignoring him completely. "And he hid the key!"

"What?" Maggie asked in confusion.

Amelia was now thirteen weeks pregnant and she and Owen had just started the renovation of their spare bedroom to turn it into a nursery. Owen had expressed his desire to assemble things and paint the walls himself and Amelia had been full on board with the idea. But when she had started stubbornly carrying things around, even though Owen had asked her several times not to exceed herself physically, he hadn't thought twice before shutting the door and keeping her away of all the furniture boxes.

"Your friend was carrying a tool box even though I repeatedly asked her to not do any weightlifting," Owen stared at his wife judgingly before focusing on the thoracic surgeon again, but his voice was calm and reasonable. "I told her twice to focus on other things instead of carrying a box but she wouldn't listen. If she needed something, she could have just asked instead of going after it herself," Owen looked from Maggie back to Amelia. "So you really didn't leave me much of a choice, did you?"

"Stop treating me like I'm a kid!" Amelia chided, unreasonably. She knew Owen was right and she shouldn't have been carrying weight while pregnant, but she honestly didn't think the boxes were that heavy. Amelia would have been able to overlook all of that if it weren't for Owen's calm and serene attitude. He had promptly locked the door to the nursery and kept the key hidden, rationally talking to her while all Amelia wanted to do was scream and hit him with her fists. She hated how he was able to control his emotions, like he had any right to treat her like a pouting toddler.

"I will, if you stop behaving like one," Owen answered unaffectedly, making Amelia's anger grow even more.

"I'm not talking to you," Amelia decided, adamant to keep her promise this time.

"You do know you live with me, right?" Owen asked ironically, knowing her mood swings had a lot to do with the pregnancy, but determined to make sure she didn't put herself at any risk.

"I'm not talking to you until you apologize," Amelia grumpily repeated, grabbing her water bottle with fury.

"You just talked to me," Owen provoked her, unable to contain himself.

Amelia's chair screeched against the ground as she violently got up and walked away.

Maggie looked from her friend's figure already on her way out to Owen, who kept eating like nothing had happened.

"Don't enable her," He advised Maggie, focusing on his meal. "She'll come around."

"You're mean," Maggie frowned, bothered by the situation but believing Owen had reason.

The trauma surgeon let out a discreet chuckle before calmly adding:

"I just do what needs to be done. Amelia knows that. She is angry because her arguments are invalid. When she is calm enough, I'll talk some sense into her. Don't worry, I got this."

Owen spoke with such propriety that Maggie actually believed him, acknowledging that probably for the first time in her life, Amelia was learning how to deal with hearing a 'no'.

.

"Hey!" April happily approached Owen at the nurses' station, putting down the tablet of the patient she had just assessed.

As usual, Owen replied with a discreet smile and a head nod. April had always known her friend was economic with words and his attitude didn't surprise her.

"I just had your wife over for a neuro consult," April added with a good mood. "I mean, your very angry wife. What's going on? Are you guys okay?"

Owen let out a heartfelt chuckle, realizing how bad Amelia was at hiding her emotions. Even her co workers noticed it.

"She is just angry at me because she's stubborn," Owen dismissed the importance of the fight, knowing that it wasn't serious.

"Oh, okay," April felt glad to hear it. "I was worried, but I'm glad it's all alright, then." The trauma surgeon added while reaching out for another patient file.

"Why?" Owen furrowed his eyebrows. "Why were you worried, I mean?"

April noticed how startled he was at her confession and quickly tried to fix it, realizing she had worried him for no reason.

"Oh, I didn't mean anything specific!" She hurried to explain. "It's just that she's pregnant… you know."

"Yeah, I know," Owen frowned harder, looking conspicuously at April while looking for answers. When he realized his friend wasn't talking he felt the need to ask. "Your point is…?"

April put down the new file she'd grabbed back on the counter and took a deep breath, looking like she was debating whether to talk or not.

"Well, you see… Last time Amelia thought she was pregnant I found her in the bathroom and she didn't seem okay at all. So I asked her if she'd found the test results and told you, and then she told me about her other time." April lowered her voice, trying to be discreet.

Owen kept staring at her as if expecting an explanation but nothing else came.

"Told you what?" Owen straightforwardly asked. Women could be so complicated sometimes. He really didn't have any talent to deal with their enigmas.

April once again hesitated but opted for talking.

"Amelia confessed to me that last time she was pregnant, she didn't have to tell the father," April shared, hoping she wasn't being intrusive on Amelia's personal life or saying things she shouldn't be saying. But she firmly believed her friend was the happiest he had been in a while and she had a feeling Amelia loved him back with sincerity. It was no secret both Amelia and Owen had gone through a lot of personal drama and April had a feeling that while they were great together most of the time, sometimes they had trouble communicating, which could lead to severe misunderstandings. "I thought maybe she was having a hard time adjusting to going through this with someone by her side… You know, someone actually being there and taking care of her. I imagine it's hard to accept something, especially something good, when you know how awful it feels to be without it."

Owen frowned, looking from his friend to the empty space in front of them. Kepner knew too well about loss and fear of getting a second chance at happiness, because she had once experienced how painful it was when the outcome wasn't the expected. April could nearly see the engines moving inside Owen's head as he obviously tried hard to connect a lot of dots and make sense of the situation as a whole.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to pry or…"

"Not at all," Owen interrupted her with a sympathetic smile. "I hadn't thought of that. Maybe you are right," He shrugged, stuffing his hands inside his white coat pockets. It didn't surprise him that Amelia would be scared and fearful regarding the pregnancy but he hadn't really considered how much she could be struggling with accepting and believing his support. "I mean, I don't regret what I did, but maybe I should take it easier on her. I'm fully on her side, she has to know that."

"She knows you love her, Owen." April added with a friendly smile.

"Yeah, I do." He embarrassingly confessed, unable to contain a large smile.

"How is the baby?" April asked, seeing the sparkle in his eyes at the mention of the pregnancy.

"It's great," Owen confessed, his entire face lighting up at the thought of the child Amelia was carrying. "Growing visibly. Some of Amelia's pants aren't fitting her anymore. We're about to have the thirteen week sonogram, actually."

"That's amazing," April agreed.

"Yeah, I think Amelia's anxiety about it is adding to her bad mood," Owen shared, trying to think things through. He reached out and got one of the patient files, ready to resume work. "Anyway, thanks for asking. I'll let you know when I know more," He promised.

"Please, do," April replied excitedly, once again picking up the tablet before heading to a consult room.

.

Owen paced back and forth in the living room of his house. He'd spent the entire afternoon carefully going over a lot of things.

Not long ago, Amelia had told him the story of how she'd lost her son. He vividly remembered the day he had stood by her side and held her next to her son's grave in Los Angeles while she confessed to him the tragic circumstances in which her baby had been conceived, born and died soon after.

Owen knew Amelia had been alone at the time and when she'd first shared the news of the pregnancy with him, he had made sure his wife knew she wasn't going to be by herself anymore. But he supposed that even though their relationship had become more solid and based on trust ever since, it was to be expected that she still felt some anxiety and insecurity.

His thoughts were vanished from his mind when Owen heard a click at the front door. Seconds after, his wife walked in, shrugging off her coat from her shoulders while still shivering from the chilly wind outside.

"Hey," Owen sheepishly started, getting up from the couch.

Amelia planned to ignore him completely, for she was still very angry about their stupid fight the previous day. But something in Owen's expression caught her attention. Instead of reserved indifference, there was a shadow of worry and humility lingering on his face. And he was looking at her with the most caring blue eyes. She knew that look. It was the same one Owen had on whenever he tried to comfort her.

Amelia just wasn't sure why exactly he was trying to comfort her.

Her eyes traveled from his face to the door next to the living room. The nursery was unlocked and Amelia quickly spotted the key placed on the coffee table, obviously at her disposal.

"There, you can go in if you want…" Owen said, measuring his words. "I am sorry if you feel I overreacted but I don't regret doing what I did. I was worried about you and I didn't know what else to do." He took a deep breath, clearly uneasy about the situation. "I am used to controlling things and doing them my way and it's very hard for me to deal with the fact that I can't control you." He took a pause, trying to rationally say what he needed to say. "I am sorry if I came off as bossy. It wasn't my intention to give you orders or make you feel patronized. I'm going to try and take it easier," Owen confessed with total honesty.

Amelia stood still, pondering the meaning of his words. She had come feeding on rage, ready to have a new heated argument, almost hoping for one. The surgeon hadn't been the least bit ready for a sincere, heartfelt confession and an apology.

"I guess you had a point…" She broke eye contact with him, too stubborn to admit she had her share of guilt. "There really was no need to carry boxes around."

"The key is here and you're free to help me set up the room as much as you'd like," Owen tilted his head and placed his hands in his pockets, taking a deep breath before continuing. "But I swear to God, Amelia, if I catch you carrying a tool box or escalating furniture again, I won't lock the room and hide the key," He stared deeply into her eyes. "I'll lock _you_ in it and then hide the key." Owen added with a mirthful smile.

His playful threat broke Amelia's defenses and she let out a chuckle, honestly happy that they were back to being themselves. She had been trying to avoid thinking about the ultrasound check the following day for the entire past week and being angry at Owen had helped her distract her mind. But deep down, Amelia knew she wasn't being reasonable and was taking out her frustrations and fears on him. Taking large strides in his direction, she wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned forward for a comforting hug.

Owen held her close and gave his wife a kiss on the head, deeply satisfied they weren't fighting anymore.

"I think we should talk," He informed her with a gentle but serious tone.

Amelia instantly lifted her face from the curve of his neck and searched for his eyes.

"Why?" She hurried to ask, nervously. "What's wrong?"

Owen smiled at her restlessness and gently made her sit down on the couch beside him. The conversation he'd had with April earlier that day had made him think things through over and over in his mind.

At that point, he was well aware of many events that had happened in his wife's past, including her addiction and the awful way she had lost someone she loved. Not too long after, she had found out she was carrying that man's child and after struggling with the idea, she had accepted it only to find out that the baby had a condition incompatible with life. Amelia had gone through hell and a big part of it she'd had to face alone. He admired her resilience and strength, and completely understood her reservations and fears about conceiving a baby again.

Her traumas from the past had nearly jeopardized their marriage once and Owen was glad they had been able to work through it, because he felt it had only made them stronger. He wanted more than anything that their commitment to one another worked out and in order to do that, Owen had learned that it was better if they communicated and talked about their fears, instead of keeping their thoughts and emotions in while unconsciously blaming their partner for not being able to guess them.

"I wanted to ask you something," Owen carefully began, feeling like he was tiptoeing around the subject. They were in a good place at the moment and he didn't want to cause his wife pain by bringing up bad memories, at the same time he wanted everything to be out in the open. "You know we have an ultrasound scheduled for tomorrow. How are you feeling about it?"

Amelia frowned at the completely unexpected question. She had no idea what had motivated Owen to ask that but after a few seconds, it made her proud to realize that he had been considerate enough to be curious about her emotions. He obviously knew what she had been through and cared about what she was feeling with the possibility of getting another round of bad news.

"I'm scared," The words left Amelia's lips before she could contain them. When she spoke, it felt like a huge knot had been undone in her throat. "God, Owen, I am so scared," She confessed, unable to hold her emotions any longer.

"Hey, hey…" Owen leaned over and hugged her, hating to see the woman he loved being assaulted by tears. "It's going to be alright, okay? Our baby is fine. You are fine. Don't be distressed," He assured her, determined to calm her down. "I didn't mean to make you more anxious, I…"

"No," Amelia interrupted him and held his face between her hands, feeling grateful for his concern. "It's been consuming me during all this time and I just… I don't know. But talking about this helps me calm down, actually. I'm glad you asked me."

"Why didn't you tell me you were this nervous?" Owen looked at her with loving eyes.

"I feel guilty to be thinking about that," Amelia confessed, referring to the possibility that something could be wrong with their child. "I don't want to attract bad things, so I'm trying to stay positive. I am sure our baby is fine," She defensively took her hand to her slightly visible thirteen week bump.

"Yes," Owen admired her positive attitude. Despite everything she'd been through, even with all her fears and insecurities, Amelia still hoped for the best and he loved that about her. "But, babe, you can talk to me. You know that, right?" He asked, feeling a bit embarrassed for being repetitive. He didn't want to force her into anything. Owen took one hand to her face and placed one lock of her smooth dark hair behind her ear. "You're not alone anymore." He said, knowing the words would have a strong impact on her.

As he predicted, Amelia's emotional state shifted and it became clear when her eyes were filled with unshed tears.

"I know," Amelia replied with total conviction. Having gone through her first pregnancy all by herself, especially after losing the baby's father and going through rehab, had scarred her pretty deeply.

"Do you realize how amazing you are?" Owen asked with pride stamped in his eyes. "You could have chosen different things…" He listed, thinking back about the question he had asked his wife when she'd first told him about the pregnancy and his insecurity about her keeping it had arisen. "You could have terminated it but you chose to take the pregnancy to full term just so you could help others… That is absolutely generous…" Owen added with admiration and pride. "I don't even know what to say."

Amelia felt his arms wrapping around her as he pulled her in for another hug. While she clung to his shirt, welcoming his comforting touch, her mind wandered back to a time where she had been dealing with the discovery of her unplanned gestation.

She could vividly remember struggling to accept the idea and then when presented with the opportunity to terminate the pregnancy, Amelia had finally realized what she had decided all along. It had been years, but she could still see herself outside of Sheldon's office, telling him she could never get rid of Ryan's baby. It had been before she found out her son was anencephalic, but the baby's medical condition hadn't changed Amelia's heart. She had made the decision to keep him before any of that.

"Actually," Amelia started, nervously biting her lower lip. "I chose to carry my anencephalic baby to term so I could donate his organs but before I knew he didn't have a brain, I had already decided to keep him," She confessed, feeling relieved to be finally talking about it. Amelia had kept those memories in a buried place and it felt good to finally let them out and share them with someone she trusted. Talking about things had proved to be an excellent way to help process and overcome pain she had long ago decided to ignore. "I could never abort a baby that was conceived from love. I mean," She hesitated, visibly struggling with her words. "We didn't know I was already pregnant at the time but we had already discussed starting a family. We talked about it right before everything happened and decided we were going to do it, but…" Amelia looked up from Owen's shirt to his eyes. "He never got to know I was already pregnant." She shared those feelings for the first time since it had happened. "And I'm sure he would have been thrilled at the idea, so I couldn't abort his baby. I don't think I could ever abort a child, but especially not in that situation. I would never be able to live with myself if I did it."

Her confession had been so heartfelt and honest that Owen felt like he was being stabbed in the heart. He sympathized with her pain and wanted more than anything that she never had to go through something similar, ever again.

But he also couldn't help drawing parallels between Amelia's past experiences and his own.

His ex wife had been pregnant with his child while they were still married. At the time, they'd been financially stable, leading successful careers, fully capable of welcoming and providing for a child. And yet, for personal reasons, she had opted to get rid of the baby. Owen didn't judge Cristina for using her right to choose whether or not to be a mother, but he did judge her for not letting him be a part of her decision to get rid of their child. When he'd married her, the idea of having children in a happy marriage had been so absolutely enchanting to him that never in his wildest dreams would he have imagined that other people wouldn't be seduced by it too. His biggest mistake had been to believe Cristina could change her mind and later on, expect her to change it. She hadn't ever and he was to blame for hoping so hard that she did, while investing all of himself in the process.

Meanwhile, Amelia had been all alone, having lost the person she loved and just out of a difficult rehab process. At the time, she didn't have any security or support system and yet she had chosen to keep the baby because she believed family meant more than anything. To Amelia, the idea of having and loving a child was way more fulfilling than winning an award. Owen could completely relate to that. He admired the idea and shared it. His wife had lost a child in tragic circumstances and even though she could have got rid of it sooner, sparing herself from further pain, she hadn't because her motherly love had been greater than anything else.

Owen knew that people were different and they thought and felt differently. He respected that. But the fact that Amelia was completely synchronized with his own hopes and dreams made him realize, for the hundredth time, that she was absolutely the right person for him. And he adored her with all his heart. Amelia had become the love of his life and every day she unknowingly taught him more about how selfless love truly was.

"You loved him very much, didn't you?" Owen asked, hating that he was feeling like an insecure jealous teenager.

Amelia looked up at him, surprised by the question.

"Yeah," She noticed the estranged look on her husband's face. "I guess I did." She distractedly added, more focused on figuring out why his previously warm expression had suddenly turned into a cold and distant gaze. "But it really doesn't matter now," Amelia concluded, hoping to avoid a conversation that wouldn't lead them anywhere.

"Yes," Owen agreed, feeling an uneasy wave of insecurity assaulting him. "Anyway, you're probably hungry, right? You should eat," He decided, determined to ignore all those feelings that were unexpectedly making him uncomfortable.

Amelia really felt like she was starving so there was no protest against the idea of dinner. She was exhausted from the stressful day and her mind couldn't stop over thinking about the sonogram she was getting the following morning. Without another word, Amelia went to their bedroom to shower as Owen went to the kitchen to cook dinner for them.

While his wife relaxed in the hot water, the trauma surgeon tried to focus on the food he was preparing but his thoughts were far away from the kitchen. He couldn't help feeling the worst he'd felt in weeks.

At the same time Owen was blissfully happy and excited with the baby that was growing inside his wife, after the things she'd confessed to him that evening, he couldn't help but wonder if she had ever compared him to the man she had once loved and lost.

Owen also had had a significant relationship in the past but before he even met Amelia, he had already divorced Cristina, accepting that the intense and toxic relationship they'd had was finally over. He had freed himself from the emotional attachment, _choosing_ to walk away from it.

But Amelia hadn't decided to leave the man she'd once loved. They had never _broken_ up, much on the contrary, they had just been making plans to take their relationship further. But on the course of it, he had died and maybe if he hadn't, she might have still been with him up to that day. Owen lowered his gaze from the kitchen wall to the vegetables he was slicing. Maybe if those tragic circumstances hadn't hit, Amelia would be living with someone else. The idea of his wife in the arms of another man made Owen cringe with anger and jealousy and his knuckles turned white when he tightened his grip around the knife he was holding.

Amelia had been in love with someone who had, judging by what Owen knew, obviously shared nothing but happy moments with her. A guy who had loved her and made her promises she fully intended to embark on. A person who shared her addiction and who Amelia probably felt was more able to understand her than anybody else did.

And he had died right amidst all of the planning and hoping. Amelia hadn't chosen to walk away from that relationship, she had been forced to. And if she had just agreed to start a family with him, it was obvious she had been in love with him.

Owen wondered if every time they had a fight, Amelia thought about her ex lover and compared the two of them, if every time he loved her, his wife wished he was another man, the one she had tragically lost. The notion made Owen sick to his stomach and he stopped himself from spiraling down even further, forcing himself to conjecturing about idiotic ideas.

He couldn't compete with a ghost, it wasn't fair. Whatever memory Amelia had of the man she'd lost, it should be kept in the past because the guy wasn't there, but Owen was. And it was his baby that Amelia was carrying, not anyone else's. Their dream of being a family was finally coming true and nothing else mattered. The following morning, Amelia was finally getting that sonogram they both had been so anxiously waiting for. But once he got distracted with preparing dinner again, his mind wandered far again. And Owen couldn't help wondering if, even after finding out if everything was alright with their baby, he would still be able to sleep at night in total peace, knowing that there was a good chance he would never really be the real choice in Amelia's life.


	27. Lucas - Part Three

**My Boys Drabbles – Lucas (Part Three)**

Amelia tapped her foot uncontrollably, trying to contain her anxiety. She had been up before six that morning and the three hours that separated her waking hour from the scheduled appointment to get an ultrasound felt like a lifetime.

Even though Amelia was having regular appointments with the chief obstetrician at the hospital, she reported mostly to Addison, engaging in weekly conversations over the phone with her friend. Now, Amelia was at thirteen weeks, and it would be the first time she would see her baby ever since they'd first gotten the exam that had confirmed her pregnancy.

Owen sat still by her side, his expression of serenity unaltered. Amelia knew he was tense because of the vein pulsating on his forehead and his clenched jaw, but even though he was broodier than usual, he had spent the first hours of the morning making an effort to make her feel calm and at ease.

She attributed his unusual seriousness to anxiety too. Amelia knew that Owen was probably just as scared as she was about the ultrasound results, but he was being tough for the two of them. The fact that Owen took the responsibility of being the rock that kept them grounded made Amelia admire and appreciate him even more.

"Are you nervous?" She asked with a sweet voice, reaching out for his hand.

Owen had been distractedly examining the wall, looking lost in his own thoughts, but at the sound of her voice he immediately shifted his attention. Holding onto the hand she was offering, he gave it a gentle squeeze before smiling at her:

"I am sure everything is alright."

Amelia noticed he didn't exactly answer her question, but she didn't push it, knowing it was harder for him to open up about fears and insecurities. At exactly 9 am, the radiology technician walked into the room and kindly instructed Amelia on how she would proceed with the exam.

Those few seconds between applying the gel and correctly positioning the ultrasound probe to get a clear image felt like the longest of Amelia's life. She didn't realize she was holding her breath until, at the image of a perfectly healthy baby, her eyes swelled with tears and she found it harder to breathe.

"There it is…" The technician cheerfully spoke, completely oblivious to how tense those two parents really were with the result of that exam. "There is the spinal column, the head, heartbeat looks strong…"

But everything else the woman rambled on wasn't assimilated by Amelia because all she could focus on was the image of the perfect miniature human moving on the screen. Her healthy little baby wouldn't stop making jerky movements, flexing its tiny arms and legs as if bouncing around. It was still too early for her to feel any of that, but what really caught Amelia's attention was the presence of every vital organ.

She couldn't take her eyes off the screen and didn't notice that Owen had leaned over until he planted a kiss on her temple, also letting out a deep breath. Instantly, Amelia turned her head sideways and when their eyes met, a profound smile of utter happiness and relief was born on both of their faces.

Amelia silently thanked every power in the universe for that amazing gift of life and laughed between tears observing her baby while the technician took notes and measurements.

"Everything is exactly how it should be," The woman informed them with a polite smile. I'll send these results to your ob and you can discuss it with him on your next appointment. Have you scheduled it yet?"

Amelia nodded affirmatively and gladly agreed when the woman asked if she wanted a copy of the exam to keep. Smiling from ear to ear, she left the exam room beside Owen, both looking at the black and white image of their perfect child.

"He looks so beautiful," Amelia commented with a happy smile, even though rationally she knew there was absolutely no way she could judge beauty in a colorless profile picture of their baby.

"He?" Owen winked mischievously, giving her a halfhearted smile.

"Well, it was just a way of speaking, really. That answer is going to be left for the following sonogram," Amelia cheerfully replied, unable to stop staring at her baby.

"I can't wait," Owen said with a grin and when Amelia looked up at him, she couldn't help wondering if he really had that shadow of sadness behind his eyes, despite all the sincere happiness he'd showed about their baby. "So, I'll see you at home?"

Amelia nodded yes with her head and watched as Owen bent over and gave her a quick peck on the cheek before walking away. Even though he was very affectionate at home, Owen was a very private guy, not very inclined to gratuitous public displays of affection. Still, he was usually warmer when greeting or saying goodbye to her and Amelia wondered if she was being too sensitive about his attitude.

But when her eyes once again met the image she still held in her hand, Amelia's thoughts completely vanished, focusing entirely on their child again and the incredible notion that her baby was as healthy as it could be.

.

For the following week, Amelia tried to convince herself she was seeing too much into things, but truth was that Owen felt more distant and quieter by the day. Initially, she had imagined his behavior had to do with anxiety about finding out about their baby but after careful thinking, she realized he had started acting quite not like himself after the eve of their ultrasound day, when they'd had a heartfelt conversation about their fears.

If Amelia were to be truly honest, the talk had mostly been about _her_ fears. She hoped that insight would help her figure out where Owen's mood change was coming from but after carefully replaying their conversation in her head, she still couldn't. At first, her husband had opened up and admitted he wasn't used to relinquishing control, which was something she already knew. Then he'd gone on to tell her he was trying to control his bossy manners in the best way he could. After that, most of the conversation had been about her own traumas and bad experiences.

Amelia knew about Owen's loss of a child because months before, when they'd been flying back from Los Angeles after she'd run away, he had shared about that painful moment in his life. So Amelia completely understood his fear about whether or not he would get to be a father to that baby she was carrying. She expected that especially after seeing her latest sonogram, his excitement would only increase. But even though Owen was all smiles when talking about the baby, he had been acting more careful than ever when it concerned her. Even physically, he had been more distant. Amelia wondered if her husband realized how uncomfortable he looked when she approached him. The notion had devastated her.

Amelia was completely on board with the idea of them talking things through every time something was off and she had truly believed Owen was willing to live through that philosophy too, considering he had been the one to suggest it several times in the past. She had grown to believe their level of intimacy was at its best, but clearly Owen still had something he wasn't sharing with her.

Determined to make him talk about whatever it was that was bothering him, Amelia left the hospital a little earlier that afternoon. She knew her talents as a cook were limited and settled for picking up dinner on her way home instead. Knowing Owen's preferences, she chose his favorite dishes on purpose, hoping it would lighten his mood enough to maybe make him more comfortable to talk.

But Owen stayed quiet through most of the meal, opening his mouth mostly to thank her for taking care of dinner that evening. Then he asked his standard questions about how she was feeling and how her day in the OR had been. Realizing she couldn't take that heavy atmosphere lurking around them anymore, Amelia decided to take the first step.

"You know, I've noticed you've been a bit off lately," She carefully initiated the subject, hoping he wouldn't get too defensive. "I have this feeling that something is bothering you and yet you don't seem to want to talk about it. Should I be worried?" Amelia asked, hoping with all her heart that he would be honest with her.

"There's nothing to worry about," Owen smiled at her, but deep down he knew that smile wasn't genuine. He couldn't confess to Amelia what kind of thoughts had been haunting him lately. It would just make him look pathetic and she deserved better, especially in a moment as special as the one they were sharing. "Are you done eating? I got the dishes."

Amelia watched in silence as he broke eye contact with her and quickly got up, keeping himself busy with taking their plates to the kitchen. She stood still for a while and didn't notice her hand reflexively rested on her belly while she carefully considered how to assess the situation.

"You know," She let out a heavy sigh, giving up completely on rationalizing what she was going to say. As usual, she would just let the words come from the heart. "I think it's really unfair to me that you demand I talk to you whenever I'm worked up about something and yet you won't do the same when it's you that has a problem."

Owen had his hands inside the sink as he scrubbed a glass with his back turned to her. He absorbed the meaning of her words and carefully processed them, taking a deep breath before turning around to meet her gaze.

"I am not worked up about anything, Amelia," He lied. "I am just tired. I haven't been sleeping well the past week and I am just more stressed than usual. I'm sorry if I'm taking it out on you. I didn't realize I was."

She stared back at him obviously not buying his excuse and it broke Owen's heart to notice the sharp pain in her eyes when she figured he was refusing to talk. Judging what he knew about her, it probably meant she was looking for fault in herself to justify just why Owen wouldn't talk to her. He kept his firm attitude and watched as she walked away slowly, mumbling something about emailing Addison the results of her latest blood work.

Amelia spent the rest of the evening sitting on the couch with her laptop propped on her knees, typing and reading while Owen watched TV. It wasn't uncommon for them to sit in silence next to each other, but in that moment there was some previously inexistent tension in the air. Amelia noticed it too, and it didn't take her long to get up with some excuse as to why she was retiring to bed earlier that night.

Owen watched with a constricted heart as his wife walked past him, only nodding her head after wishing him goodnight. She hadn't kissed him as usual, probably because she knew he was keeping distant. For minutes, Owen stayed in front of the TV with the remote in his hand, but his mind wasn't assimilating anything the reporter on the news was saying.

Instead, he was debating with himself if he would ever find the strength to share his insecurities with his wife. The truth was, Owen didn't want to talk about it because his own feelings embarrassed him. It was stupid and totally irrational to compare himself with the memory of a person, not to mention completely unproductive. And at the same time, Owen knew Amelia was probably hurting with being left in the dark, possibly conjecturing about what was wrong with her when the truth was that the fault and weakness were entirely on him.

Unable to put up with that angst any longer, Owen violently turned off the TV and threw the remote aside, getting up from the couch to go to bed, even though he didn't feel the least bit inclined to fall asleep. He entered the bedroom expecting Amelia to be resting already but he could tell her eyes were wide open, even though she was lying opposite with her back turned to him.

Owen sat on the edge of his side of the bed, taking a deep breath to control his feelings. He hated to feel that insecure, but he also hated to be putting the woman he loved and cared so much about through something she didn't deserve. Amelia had already suffered enough being neglected all her life. The least she deserved was honesty.

"I did not divorce Cristina because she aborted my baby."

Amelia heard the words breaking the silence in the room long after she'd felt Owen sitting on the other side of the mattress. It was clear he had been struggling and when she gently shifted to her side, searching for his face in the darkness, she heard his somber voice speaking on a deep note.

"I know you probably think I did. Maybe all the versions of my failed marriage you've heard from me or anyone else have that event as the trigger moment for our separation, but it wasn't the real reason why I divorced her."

Amelia slowly sat on the soft mattress, confused as to why Owen was bringing up that subject, but fairly certain there was a point to all of that.

"Truth is," Owen turned around and for the first time their eyes met, even though the room was nearly engulfed in total darkness. "Our marriage probably wouldn't have worked out even if she kept that baby," He confessed, shaking his head defensively. "She never truly wanted to be a mother and if she had forced herself to it, I would have loved to have been a father but I believe I'd slowly grow to resent her for not being the person I wanted her to be. She never wanted a family. And it would maybe be too late to take a step back if we already had a child," Owen debated, nodding his head in denial. "I don't know, this is all just hypothetical but my point is," He stared deeply into Amelia's eyes. "I realize we wanted completely different things in life because our deepest wishes and priorities are completely opposite." Owen breathed in and out slowly, hoping his wife was able to follow his trail of thought. "I am not saying there is a right or wrong, I am just saying there either is compatibility or not. And Cristina and I were completely incompatible."

Amelia acknowledged the information with a head nod, showing she was keeping up with him. She was about to ask why he was telling her all of that when his voice resonated again:

"I have been through so much before and I truly believe these past experiences helped me become the person I am today, the same way I believe you also do. But the thing is, it took Cristina terminating a pregnancy for me to act on something I already had realized and even though it felt like it was too late at the time, today I see it wasn't. I hesitated a lot at first because I had convinced myself I could make her change her opinions and desires, but once I truly let go and accepted I couldn't, I saw I made the right decision. I'm glad I did it," Owen nervously ran one hand through his hair and slowly moved on the bed so he could frontally face Amelia. "The thing is, before you and I hit it off, I was already past all of that. I had willingly walked away from it. But…" He hesitated, finally getting to the point he had been trying to reach, "even though I knew you met other people after you lost your loved one, you never chose to end that relationship."

Amelia frowned heavily, wondering what in the world Owen meant by that. It was true she had never broken up with Ryan because they had been together when he'd died. But she didn't see why it was relevant at that moment.

"Maybe," Amelia interrupted his speech, confused about where he was trying to get. Was it possible that Owen was saying she still had unresolved feelings for a man that even though had meant a lot once, she hardly thought about anymore? "But it doesn't change the fact that it's a past relationship too. It doesn't matter anymore."

"Maybe it does," Owen somberly replied, looking away from her. He knew it was fair to compare people but internally, he knew his marriage to Amelia had been an upgrade from his past. And he wasn't sure she felt the same.

Amelia watched as he visibly struggled. Feeling like he needed incentive to resume speaking, she asked:

"What do you mean?" Her tone was sweet and free of judgment. "How could it matter now, Owen? We're together. It's just you and me now. No one else," She reinforced, trying to show he was the only person who occupied her thoughts and a place in her heart.

"I make mistakes, Amelia." Owen answered after longs seconds of heavy breathing. "I never mean to hurt you, but eventually, I will. Every now and then I will be angry or upset or hurt and I will say something that I'll regret later. Or I'll do something that will unintentionally cause you pain." He hesitated but ultimately turned around again, facing her this time. "I will make mistakes."

"Yes," Amelia gave him a gentle head nod. "I know." She assured him, moving closer to him on the bed. "I know all of that. I will too. That's a normal part of any relationship."

Once again, Owen stayed in complete silent, finally accepting her touch. Amelia noticed that he didn't flinch or pull away when her fingers touched his arm and encouraged by that response, she came closer, touching her forehead to his shoulder.

"What's wrong, babe?" She hoped to break down his defenses with sweet affection. Talking hadn't worked so far because up to that point he had mostly rambled and ran in circles around the subject. Amelia was happy that he had shared everything he'd told her, but she still hadn't found a concrete reason for his lack of peace of mind in the past days. "Are you upset that I loved another man? Is that it?" She rubbed his arm affectionately, bringing her face up to look into his eyes.

"No," Owen answered with honesty. "I'm actually…" He struggled, hating to feel so unusually vulnerable. "You once had this person in your life who has only made you happy and stayed by your side. You didn't spend much time with him but judging from what I hear, he has never wronged you. That's the parameter you have," He embarrassingly listed, feeling a stabbing pain in his heart. "I am never going to be able to give you that, Amelia. I will never be perfect. And I can't help but wonder if maybe at some point you will resent me for it like I resented someone once."

Amelia looked deeply into his eyes, trying to see the whole picture and make sense of it.

The breaking point to send Owen to a distant place in their relationship had been exactly when they'd started discussing her previous relationship a few days before. Owen had asked her questions about her feelings and then he'd spent the following time quietly processing everything. He had told her about his ex wife and the abortion she'd had, something that had clearly affected him very much. Amelia knew Owen and she was sure that, because of his tendency of blaming himself, he would be asking where he'd gone wrong for his marriage to have collapsed, even if rationally he knew it was plain incompatibility. And then he'd hesitantly admitted that he wasn't perfect and he was never going to be.

Amelia knew that and she appreciated it. Owen was usually strong and it was rare to see him admitting insecurities like that. She admired the fact he had shared them with her, especially knowing how much he dreaded opening up about his feelings. But he couldn't really be afraid that she would resent him for not being Ryan. He was completely different and Amelia had a feeling that that was exactly what had drawn her to him in the first place.

"Do you remember what I said when I asked you to marry me?" Amelia held his face between her hands, looking deeply into his eyes. Owen's expression was a mix of embarrassment and apprehension and she felt compelled to continue. "I said I wanted something _real_." She reinforced the word, so he could get the meaning behind all of that. "I meant exactly what I said."

Amelia leaned forward and Owen reflexively closed his eyes. She kissed his temple and his cheek before wrapping her arms around his neck, gently caressing the hair on the back of his head while she once again forced eye contact with him.

"I was once in a relationship with a person who was as sick as I was. I had no idea what it meant to have responsibility or a plan and neither did him. He wasn't capable of taking care of himself, let alone taking care of a baby. Sure, he did everything I wanted," Amelia admitted, feeling tears building in her eyes at the memory of how screwed up she had once been. "But I think neither of us had any idea what I _needed_." She confessed, hoping with all her heart that Owen would acknowledge the importance of that. "I was so out of my mind all the time that everything felt like a blissful fantasy," Amelia confessed. Before her dark moments in rehab, she'd spent most of her time with Ryan too high to tell apart what was real and what had been just euphoria caused by the drugs. "Those days are behind me, Owen. I don't want to feel like that anymore," She confessed, referring to the addiction induced state of mind.

"You're okay now," He reached out, wrapping one arm behind her waist to bring her closer.

"I _am_ ," Amelia used his own logic to make him see it. "I am okay now. I don't need you to do everything I want, Owen. Not that you would, anyway," She smiled at him, because they both knew he wasn't at all the kind of person who would enable her if he thought she was screwing up. He respected her too much for that. "I don't want us to spend the entire day in bed making a million plans for the rest of our lives while we snort something between every two sentences. Because it feels so much better when we're actually putting those plans into action," Amelia grabbed her husband's hand and took it to her belly in a very meaningful gesture. "When you go to bed at night and you hold me I know that I am going to wake up in the morning and you're still going to be there," She felt tears accumulated in her eyes. "I know that when I do something stupid such as picking up a tool of boxes or trying to set up a bed and setting it on fire, you are going to be there to stop me," She added, making him laugh at the reference of the time she'd tried to get rid of termites by burning them and he'd forcefully taken the box of matches from her hands. "You not only make me happy, Owen, you make me feel _safe_ ," She confessed, bending over to touch his forehead with hers, closing her eyes as she breathed him in, still feeling one of his hands on her lower abdomen. Safety was something Amelia had never experienced before and she could honestly say it was wonderful to be in that position. "And I know that you're always going to be here for us," She whispered, nudging his nose with hers affectionately. "I love how you take care of me, even when I complain that I don't need it. It's all a lie," She let out a discreet chuckle, seeing he was relaxing too. "I wouldn't change what we have for anything."

Owen let out a breath he had no idea he'd been holding and buried his face on the crook of her neck, feeling his defenses being completely overtaken by her heartfelt confession. He loved that woman with all his heart and the fact that she had said with so much conviction that she was sure he would never fail to be there for her just made him promise to himself one more time that he would never let her down.

"I am sorry for being so pathetic about this whole situation," Owen kissed her cheek, feeling her hands digging deeper through his hair. "I want more than anything to make you happy."

"You already do," Amelia looked at him affectionately, absolutely happy and relieved that he'd finally talked to her. Her relationship with Owen was the best she'd ever had in her life and for the first time, she felt like she had a shot at being happy and at peace. Owen had defects but she loved him with each one of them and Amelia wouldn't change a thing about him. "You know what?" She slid her hands across the back of his head towards his jaw line and gently brushed her thumbs on his cheeks. "Don't feel like you're second best at anything because you're actually the best thing that has ever happened to me." She confessed with full honesty. "I knew that after being knocked over by life so many times I would finally get something good and I did because I found you. And I'm glad that we chose to give this a chance," Amelia smiled with blissful honesty. That time, the feeling was not fabricated by narcotics, but instead, completely real. "And if I could choose again a hundred times, then a hundred times I'd choose you."

Her words were Owen's undoing and completely touched by the meaning of her words, he felt the purest emotions bursting inside of him as he captured her lips with his, crushing them with the intensity of his feelings.

"I don't want there to be any secrets between us," Amelia confessed when they pulled apart. She and Owen had grown a lot and he deserved to know that he was everything she'd always dreamed of. Amelia had made the mistake of running away on their wedding day and then again when she'd felt insecure about starting a family but she had come back both times because he was exactly what she wanted. Secrets led to doubts, which evolved to insecurity and that had caused her to run more than once. With Owen's devoted support, Amelia had overcome all of that and she knew what they had was absolutely genuine and based on mutual trust.

"Me neither," Owen smiled at his wife with a proud look on his face. She was the best person he'd ever met and yet she had no idea just how amazing she was. Not because she was self deprecating, but because Amelia was genuinely humble and kind. Her resilience and strength inspired him to want to be better too. "I love you," He confessed, looking deeply into her eyes as he said the words.

"Me too," Amelia snuggled up closer to him, enjoying that new level of intimacy that had been established between them. Without any secrets left, they were free to be exactly who they were, knowing they would be deeply appreciated by their truest versions. That was a feeling like no other.

"I just have one small correction to make, though," Owen looked into her eyes as he laid down next to her, slowly caressing her body. Amelia noticed the change in his tone of voice and smiled, anticipating what was about to come. "We're together but it's not just you and me anymore," His hand splayed on the small bump that was starting to show on her lower belly. "We have company now," He said teasingly, rubbing her skin with devoted affection.

Amelia smiled widely and agreed with a head nod. Two had become three and she couldn't help but thinking how amazing it was that love was able to multiply when you shared it.

Amelia placed her hand on top of his and smiled as she laid on her lower back, watching as Owen propped his head on his elbow to look at her while he admired their growing child.

"Do you think it's a girl or a boy?" He asked with blissful contentment.

"I don't know…" Amelia confessed with a wide smile. She didn't really have a preference. All she cared about was that their baby was born healthy. "People have asked me that question saying that mothers usually have a good personal guess but to be honest I have no idea."

"I wish it was one of each," Owen randomly said with total honesty, making her crack up laughing.

"Are you insane?" Amelia asked with good mood, giggling when Owen bent over and kissed her belly. "Carrying one is already hard enough, I can't imagine carrying two," She smiled at him, noticing the spark of happiness in his crystal blue eyes. "One at a time, please." The neurosurgeon added, completely oblivious to what the future held for them.

"Does this mean we're having another one soon?" He brought his face up and returned her smile, unable to hide just how excited he was at the idea.

"What, we haven't had this one yet and you're already thinking of the next?" Amelia couldn't contain her laughter, touched by his contagious joy.

"I want as many as you can give me," He said with a charming smile, but deep down it was absolutely true and Amelia knew it.

"Then be ready for a full house," She rolled over to his side, seeking his embrace as her own arms wrapped around him.

Owen rejoiced at the idea with his eyes closed as he settled against his wife, nestling his nose into her hair. The familiar scent of her vanilla shampoo numbed his senses and he rubbed her back gently as they lay together on the bed, snuggling close to each other.

He fell asleep with a smile on his lips, realizing that once again, talking to Amelia had paid off a great deal. Even though he would probably always still have a hard time connecting with himself long enough to understand what he was feeling and talking about it, Amelia had repeatedly proven to him that it was definitely worth it. He finally felt like there were no barriers or walls left standing between them. It was all out in the open now. Amelia had exposed her soul to him several times before and tonight he'd finally done the same. The result had been incredible.

And now, more than ever, Owen felt ready to embark full head on that amazing experience that parenthood surely was, absolutely certain that he had the right person on his side to share what would be the wildest and most fulfilling adventure of their lives.


	28. Lucas - Part Four

**My Boys Drabbles – Lucas (Part Four)**

Owen was putting his white coat and stethoscope back in his cubby at the attendings' lounge when he felt a pair of soft arms swiftly wrapping his chest from behind. Unable to stop a wide smile from growing on his face, Owen gently placed his left hand on the top of his wife's arms while he finished organizing his things.

"Are you ready to go home?" He asked, feeling the gentle touch of Amelia's chest against his back.

"Yes," Amelia replied with a whisper and a very seductive grin. He instantly knew she was up to something. "Are you in a good mood tonight? Because I thought maybe you could cook pasta with that garlic sauce?" Amelia sneakily rubbed her hands across his chest all the way to his stomach as her lips approached his ear. "Please?"

Owen heard her nearly whispering the words and turned around, keeping her inside his embrace. He smiled when her fairly noticeable 20 week pregnancy belly filled the entire gap between their bodies.

"Am I allowed to say no?" He jokingly asked.

"Of course not," Amelia replied with a mischievous grin, looking into his eyes with fierce devotion. Owen noticed the brightness stamped on those gorgeous blue globes and smiled back at her, kissing her lips quickly before holding her hand so they could walk to the parking lot together.

"Then the answer is yes."

Later that evening, after he'd already cooked, Owen was distractedly sitting on the couch, watching the news on the TV when he heard his wife coming from the kitchen. Amelia made herself comfortable by his side before asking with distinct brightness in her eyes:

"So, should we start picking out names?"

Owen smiled as Amelia snuggled next to him, looking like she was eagerly waiting for his reply. Just the week before, Amelia had flown to Los Angeles and spent a weekend there to have a consult with Addison. Owen hadn't been able to come because of work and unbeknownst to them, Addison had set up an ultrasound so she could examine the baby herself. When asked if she wanted to find out the baby's gender, Amelia hadn't been able to control her curiosity and the first thing she'd done after going back to Seattle was to announce that they were having a boy.

Owen had been so absolutely enchanted with the news that he'd had no time to process the fact that she'd found out without him. He would have loved to have been present to see the exam, but all that mattered was that the baby was healthy, growing and gaining weight as expected. And Owen couldn't wait to meet his son.

"Have you considered any?" He asked with good mood, excited about the subject. "I mean, I guess I've always kind of assumed that if we had a son, you'd want to name him after your brother."

"Really?" Amelia frowned at her husband, confused with that new information.

"Yeah," Owen shrugged, surprised with her confusion. "I know how much you loved him and looked up to him. I figured it would be an obvious choice but maybe it isn't that obvious?" He half affirmed, half asked, seeing Amelia clearly hadn't thought about that suggestion.

"I don't know…" Amelia admitted, processing that information for the first time. "Of course I love my brother and I know he would be honored but we are starting a whole new chapter in our lives, you know? If we named him Derek it would mean a lot to me, but I think maybe it would be more meaningful to _us_ if we chose a name we both like?" She kindly proposed.

He held her chin delicately between his fingers and brought her face closer, giving her a kiss on the tip of her nose before smiling back at her.

"That's a great idea," Owen agreed, wrapping one arm around her shoulder. "Ok, so what do you have in mind?"

"Nothing too unusual, I don't want our kid to be bullied in school because he has a stuck up name," Amelia straightforwardly decided, making Owen chuckle with her spontaneity. "Something short and strong, that leaves an impact."

"Are we both going to give him our last names?" Owen asked, content with whichever choice she decided to make regarding that.

"Well, I have your name now and it could stay our family name," Amelia's eyes glowed as she looked deeply into his, proud to have made that choice a few months before. "And then maybe his middle name could be Derek? It's a nice compromise. I get to honor my brother, you give the last name and we both choose a first name we like."

"That sounds perfect," Owen agreed, tilting his head to look into her eyes. Amelia's eyes sparkling with happiness because of their child had become his favorite thing to watch. And Owen didn't really mind much. As long as it wasn't any atrocious name, and he doubted Amelia's taste would differ much from his, she could narrow down the names of her preference and Owen would help her choose from the few selected ones.

"Okay, so I have an idea," Amelia turned around on the couch and folded her legs, looking at him like an eager child on school break. "We can both make a list of our favorites. And if the same name appears on both lists, that's the one."

"Okay," Owen agreed, still smiling at her. At that moment, he felt like he would never get enough of his wife. He was happy beyond words to see his dream of being a father coming true, but seeing how happy and excited Amelia was too made his heart ache with pride and love.

Amelia opened her mouth to resume talking but she was silenced by the sweet touch of Owen's lips when they covered her own. She smiled against him, welcoming his gentle touch at the same time her husband lay on his back against the couch, bringing her down on his top.

"I thought we were working on that list," Amelia let out a happy giggle when his hands quickly imprisoned her upper thighs.

"We are working on it, don't worry," Owen provoked her as he captured the skin of her neck between his lips. "This is the inspiration to help my creative side to arise."

"It has arisen already," Amelia joked with a dirty smile as she pressed her body against his, eager to find out what would happen next.

.

Over the course of the following weeks, Amelia got to experience again little details in the pregnancy that she had forgotten about it, probably because back then, she'd had no one to share them with. But now, Owen was absolutely interested in being a part of everything and Amelia would never forget the look on his face when she placed his hand on her belly, allowing him to feel their baby moving for the first time.

Soon after, it became increasingly harder for Amelia to maintain a sex life with her husband. When she reached the third trimester, it felt like her bump was growing exponentially. Frequent consults with her obstetrician and ultrasound scans showed that her baby boy was not only healthy and amazingly active, he was also a bit oversized compared to her first son.

Amelia knew that it had probably more to do with Owen's genes than her own. Addison had assured her that she would arrive in Seattle in the first days of July, hanging around for a couple of weeks so she could assist with the delivery. Amelia was deeply grateful for that, not only because she trusted Addison's skills above everyone else's but also because it was comforting to have a familiar face that knew her so well, especially considering Addison had been present at Amelia's first delivery.

When Amelia was around thirty five weeks along, Addison showed concern when they found out that the baby's estimated weight was already at nearly 7 pounds. If Amelia's belly kept growing at that rate and they all knew that on the few weeks before delivery, babies usually put up a lot of weight, a natural delivery would prove to be a challenge, considering Amelia's small size and narrow hips.

"I was on facetime with Addison again today," Amelia shared late at night, trying to make her back comfortable against the pillows. "She arrives in two weeks but Henry and Jake are staying there." At nearly thirty six weeks, it was very hard to find a position she would be comfortable in. Even though Amelia hadn't gained much weight in terms of fat, her body was retaining more liquid, as it was expected, and her oversized baby bump made it hard to expand her lungs if she lay down too horizontally. "Oh God, tell your child to stop kicking my diaphragm," Amelia snapped at Owen, feeling the baby stomping against her insides.

Owen smiled with sympathy and placed his hand on the curve of her belly, gently stroking it.

"He is anxious to get out," Owen celebrated, realizing it wouldn't be long until they met their son.

"One more week and we're on full term," Amelia repeated that as a mantra, trying to console herself.

"Has Addison said anything else about the birth?" Owen asked carefully, knowing how the subject brought anxiety to his wife.

"She said she can't make a decision until she comes over and examines me," Amelia replied, letting out a sigh of distress. "That makes sense, if she is worried about CPD, there's no way to diagnose it until labor actually progresses."

Owen knew Addison Montgomery was worried about a condition called Cephalopelvic disproportion, when the baby was too oversized compared to the mom's pelvis to allow childbirth to happen. True CPD was a rare condition, but considering his wife's small size and the images of their son they'd seen on the ultrasound, he wasn't surprised that Addison considered that as a diagnosis. In case the CPD really confirmed, the safest course plan was a C-section, but Owen knew Amelia was dreading the idea. With her opioid addiction history, getting anesthesia for a surgical procedure, even knowing that it was only a regional blockage and not a general one, was driving Amelia over the edge with anxiety.

"I know you don't want a C-section," Owen rubbed her arm affectionately. "But if any of your lives is at stake, we're not going to risk it, okay?" He looked deeply into her eyes, hoping with everything he had to convince her.

"Okay," Amelia replied with a conformed expression, but Owen knew how uncomfortable the idea of surgery made her.

"You'll be fine," Owen assured her, giving her a kiss on the forehead while he pulled her closer inside his embrace. "You both will." The trauma surgeon reinforced, absolutely rejecting any other possibility.

"When I asked you to put a baby inside me," Amelia mirthfully said, trying to lighten up the atmosphere, "It could have been a normal sized one." She teased him.

"I was born at 10 and a half pounds," Owen said with an adorable embarrassed smile. It wasn't his fault that their baby was that big but at the same time it was.

"Oh my God, poor Evelyn!" Amelia gasped, swallowing hard. She seriously hoped that wouldn't be her fate.

"Well, she is fine, as you can see," Owen said, trying to sound encouraging.

"Yeah, because that's a relief," Amelia said ironically, looking up to look at him. When their eyes met, she couldn't help laughing and gladly rested her head on his shoulder, silently asking her son that he be ready to come out as soon as possible.

.

Addison arrived in Seattle when Amelia was in her 38th week. The neurosurgeon was in no condition to work anymore and Addison stayed at Amelia's house monitoring her closely, knowing that her friend could go into labor at any moment.

One week later, Amelia started to have contractions on a Saturday night, and when her water broke, she was taken to the hospital. Owen tried to control his anxiety when he watched from a distance as Addison once again examined his wife.

"What is it?" He asked when he noticed the grim expression on the obstetrician's face, giving up trying to seem like he was calm and controlled about the situation. "What's wrong?!"

Addison took a deep breath, staying at the top of the situation as usual. Treating family was never easy because of emotional involvement but she would never turn her back to Amelia when she knew the neurosurgeon needed her the most. She looked from her friend to the anxious husband:

"Here is the thing, guys, your baby is too large," Addison put it simply, rolling her eyes while cursing the heavens. They had been mentally prepared for any number of things that could have gone wrong in Amelia's pregnancy, but a macrosomic baby hadn't crossed her mind. Amelia's first newborn had been average size but she shouldn't be surprised that Owen's son would be bigger. "The head will pass judging by what I've seen but his wide fat shoulders might not," Addison tried to put it simply, worried about that. "Amelia, we might have to do a C-section." She looked at her friend, trying her hardest to convince her. "You're going to be in a lot of pain and…"

"Addie," Amelia begged. She would do whatever it took for her baby to be fine but if possible, she would avoid surgery at any cost, even if it meant going through a lot of pain. "Please. If you think there is chance, if you think…Ah!" Amelia twitched in pain when another contraction started. "Please," She begged once again, trying to breathe through the pain.

Addison looked from her friend to Owen, trying to read his mind.

"We'll give it a try but if I think it can't be done," Addison looked at Amelia with the most serious face she had. "I won't think twice before converting it to a C-section."

"Okay," Amelia agreed, letting out a sigh of relief at the same time her hand reached for Owen's.

"Okay," Addison nodded her head, satisfied that Amelia understood the importance of that. "But we're doing this in the OR."

"What?" The neurosurgeon frowned, obviously not enjoying the idea.

"I don't want to take any chances, Amelia," Addison explained. "If things go south, I won't risk letting your baby be deprived of oxygen. It would compromise his neurological status and you know how minutes can make a difference. I wouldn't risk wasting precious time transporting you from the delivery room to the OR." The obstetrician added very seriously. "We'll do this my way or we don't do it at all."

Without any choice other than agreeing, Amelia watched as Addison gave out orders. She received a surgical gown and a scrub cap while Addison and Owen scrubbed in. The ob team placed monitors all around them, keeping up with Amelia's vitals and the baby's heart rate. Soon after, the contractions started to be closer together and what it felt like hours later, Addison finally gave Amelia the okay to push, seeing the baby's vitality seemed fine and her patient's cervix was fully dilated.

"Are you ready for this?" Addison asked, completely focused.

"No," Amelia said with a rebellious grin, trying to keep her spirits high. She turned her head and saw Owen by her side. In his eyes, she could distinguish every feeling of concern and hope. His hand gently made it to the back of her neck, giving her support as Amelia's face became an ugly scowl, translating the shattering pain when another contraction assaulted her.

"You can push now," Addison decided, encouraging Amelia. "I can see his head, Amelia, he has rotated his body… your baby is doing his part very well…" The obstetrician commented, trying to stay positive. Seeing Amelia's body was getting ready for another wave of contractions, she commanded with a firm voice. "Now it's up to you…Come on, you can do this, push… _now_!"

Amelia did as told, feeling the worst pain she had ever felt in her life as her entire body contracted with such urgency that she found it hard to breathe. When she thought she was going to faint from the pain, it suddenly stopped as her muscles relaxed, allowing Amelia to finally catch her breath again.

The cycle repeated for excruciating minutes and it didn't take long for Amelia to think she hadn't made the best decision. Exhaustion was starting to consume her and she doubted she could take that further any longer.

"Addison…" Her voice was a weak whisper. "Addison, how is he?"

"Don't talk," Addison advised, determined that Amelia saved all her energy. "He is fine. His head is nearly here, Amelia. You're going to do this now, okay?" Addison tried to keep calm, watching the baby monitor one more time. Over the past few minutes, the fetus' heart rate had decreased a little but it was still within a safe limit. She waited a few seconds and when Amelia's belly contracted again, she ordered, "Push!"

Owen gave out his hand for Amelia to hold and she squeezed it with such force that he felt that it would break, but Owen didn't pull away. He was scared enough, seeing his wife's flushed sweaty face scowling in agony at the same time one of the monitors started to beep as the baby's heart rate dropped below 100.

"Now, Amelia!" Addison nearly yelled, cursing herself for not insisting Amelia to have the C-section.

The sound of the alarming monitor brought out an intense fear in Amelia and she was able to channel all that fear into strength, giving one final push that hurt so much she briefly lost her conscience. Owen looked from his wife's face to where Addison was sitting. He couldn't see much from the angle he was in, but in that moment, Owen had the first vision of his son's perfect little face as Addison held it with care, waiting for Amelia to recover so she could push again.

"The head is out," Addison tried to sound encouraging at the same time she knew the trickiest part would come next. "I'm rotating his body to make it easier, Amelia, but you have to push," Addison informed, taking deep breaths to remain calm and focus. "Owen, help me flex her thighs up higher like this," The obstetrician demanded, knowing that would help as well. "Now, push!" Addison gave the order, knowing the dangerous situation they were in.

The baby's head had passed but if the shoulders were stuck, the baby could die within minutes depending on the circumstances. As an experienced obstetrician, Addison had dealt with the situation countless times before and there was no way she would leave Amelia out of her long list of successful outcomes. Using a simple maneuver that often helped, Addison was able to successfully disimpact the shoulders and in a matter of seconds the baby's entire body came out.

Owen noticed Amelia's muscles losing its tone, completely giving in to exhaustion at the same time Addison handed the baby to the pediatrician in the room, carefully cutting the chord to allow the baby to get proper care. Owen's heart constricted when he found himself unsure of what to do, seeing as both his wife and son needed medical aid. That was the worst position he'd been in and Owen begged to the universe that they both made it through. He couldn't risk losing any of them because Owen knew he would never recover from it.

"Go be with him, don't worry about me, go see the baby," Amelia asked her husband with a faint voice. She didn't care if something happened to her, as long as she knew her son was fine.

At the same time Owen let go of her hand, the room was involved in a sharp noise as the baby's screams echoed loudly throughout the room. Owen approached the bed and before he could even blink, the pediatrician held out a chubby pink baby with a blue hat on his head, fully wrapped in a white blanket. The OR room was cold and Owen knew the baby needed to stay warm until they could put him in contact with his mother's skin.

Excitedly turning around to show their son to his wife, Owen's wide smile immediately fainted when he saw the enormous pool of blood right beneath Addison's arms.

"What's happening?" Owen panicked, going around the OR table with the baby in his arms, only to see a descending river of blood coming out of his wife. "Addison!"

"Get out of here!" Addison ordered, knowing Owen would be a distraction and she couldn't afford to lose focus at that moment. Not when she had Amelia's life in her hands.

"What's going on? Fix it!" Owen insisted, taking one step closer as he went around the table to see Amelia's face. She looked pale as a ghost and was drifting in and out of conscience. "Amelia, look at me," Owen held the baby with one arm as his free hand made its way to cup his wife's face. "Amelia?" Owen cried out loud in panic, after hearing no response.

Addison quickly worked, trying to reverse the situation. After the placenta had come out, following the baby, Amelia's uterus hadn't contracted the way it should have, probably because it had been too overdistended due to the baby's size and later on pushed to the limit during the contractions.

"What is it?" Owen panicked, seeing Addison's skilful hands moving in fast paces. "What?!" He shouted, completely freaking out.

"Uterine Atony," Addison replied, letting out a heavy sigh at the same time she commanded the nurse to hang a bag of saline to make up for Amelia's loss of blood volume. "It's getting better," She added with hopeful relief, watching as the bleeding slowly subsided.

"What are you waiting for, push in some oxytocin!" Owen yelled, referring to the hormone that made the uterus contract.

"Shut up!" Addison shouted back, focusing on saving her friend's life. The baby's loud screams and Owen's nervousness weren't helping at all. She had given Amelia a simple uterine massage and seeing it was working, Addison patiently waited while the condition was reversed. "The bleeding has stopped," Addison crashed against the stool she'd been sitting on, letting out a sigh of relief.

"Amelia," Owen only realized he'd been holding his breath when his wife's name came out of his mouth. "Baby, please, talk to me," He begged, looking from the monitors to her face. Her vitals seemed fine but she looked numb.

"It hurts," Amelia's eyes opened and closed again, as she fought hard to stay alert.

"I am sorry," Owen teared up, rubbing her face with his thumb. "Tell me what you need and I'll t…"

"Owen, get out of here," Addison demanded and this time she meant it. "Take the baby with you and wait outside. Get out!"

Owen barely had any time to protest as one of the nurses guided him outside. Firmly holding his son wrapped in the blanket, Owen made it the scrub room adjoined to the OR, watching through the glass as his wife was assessed by Addison and the rest of the medical team. Minutes after, Addison came back, looking exhausted as she removed her scrub cap before standing in front of Owen with one hand on her hips.

"She is fine," Addison announced, finally allowing Owen to calm down. "We'll take her to the ICU for close monitoring but she is fine. Everything is okay now."

Owen's expression show how relieved he felt. It wasn't until seconds later that Addison noticed he was getting worked up again.

"She hasn't seen the baby yet," Owen looked from Addison to his son and then back to the obstetrician. "Amelia hasn't met our son," He added in confusion, completely devastated by the events of that morning, even though his heart was beating with relief at the notion that both his wife and baby were going to be fine. "I have to show him to her."

"She is asleep," Addison informed him. "I gave her a mild sedative so she could rest and two kinds of pain meds, but don't worry, I didn't add any opioid," The obstetrician added, seeing how the information had startled Owen. "We're taking her for recovery and if she's fine when she wakes up, I'll bring her to a ward room and you can keep an eye on her."

"But…" Owen frowned, trying his best to process all the information and still recover from the shock of seeing his wife nearly bleeding out to death. "What about him?" He asked, looking at the baby with a marveled face.

"He is yours," Addison replied as if it was obvious. "He stays with you, of course."

Owen looked up in confusion, oblivious to every medical knowledge he'd ever possessed. At that moment, he couldn't think as a doctor, only as a father and even though he wanted very much to be with the baby full time, he had no idea what to do next. He had prepared himself for taking care of Amelia while she attended to their son's needs. Never in his dreams had he pictured being fully in charge of the baby, all by himself.

"He is adorable," Addison stole a peek, seeing the baby's chubby cheeks moving as he tried to suckle the blanket. The image of the healthy newborn was heartwarming and despite the big scare they'd been through, Addison was completely happy for Amelia and her husband. "I am sorry I yelled at you, Owen." The surgeon added embarrassingly. She didn't know the man very well, but judging by what little she'd seen and heard, he genuinely loved her friend and was fully devoted to the family they'd built. Addison had a lot of respect for him.

"I would have done the same thing," Owen admitted, accepting her apology. He couldn't put in words how grateful he felt, knowing deep down that if it hadn't been Addison there, his wife and baby might not have come out of that situation alive and well. "Thank you."

.

"Hey little man," Owen smiled widely in the ward room when his son opened his eyes. "Nine pounds, huh? You're a big boy." The surgeon added, studying his son's delightful baby shape. One of the nurses of the floor had supervised him clothe and feed the newborn, instructing him on minor details. Now father and son waited, knowing the woman they both eagerly waited for would arrive at any moment. "Mom is coming to meet you. You have to be a good boy and behave, okay? We love her very, very much and she needs us to take care of her right now."

Owen was sitting on the couch inside the room, his son comfortably lying on his legs while his head rested on Owen's opened palms. The baby had been calmly sleeping for the past two hours but now his eyes were wide open and Owen supposed he would cry to be fed soon.

"Don't look at me like that, stop judging. I know I should have put you in your bassinet while you were sleeping but how can I just leave you there all alone?" Owen talked to the baby as if his son could understand what he was saying. "I'm glad you woke up because they just called to let us know they're bringing mommy here," Owen smiled, completely in love, seeing his son frowning his forehead at the sound of his voice. "Do you know how much dad loves you?" He brought the baby closer and breathed him in, feeling the amazing smell of the newborn. "That's right, too much…"

Owen's moment with his son was interrupted by a gentle knock on the door and before he could answer it, Addison walked in, followed by two hospital employees who helped bring Amelia's gurney.

"Look who's here," Addison announced with a grin, seeing the wide smile that grew on Owen's face at the sight of his wife looking back at him, fully awake.

Owen quickly put his son back in the bassinet as he stepped up to help move Amelia to the bed, kissing her forehead with preoccupied tension as he heard Addison speaking:

"I was going to keep her in the ICU but I trust she can be well monitored from here," Addison announced with a proud smile, watching as Owen gently struck Amelia's hair, asking how his wife was feeling. She also knew the staff of the entire floor would be sure to keep an eye on that very special patient.

"Thank you so much, Addison," Owen replied with a grateful smile, watching as the obstetrician stole another peek at the baby before giving Amelia a gentle hand squeeze and leaving at once to give the couple some privacy.

"How are you feeling?" Owen gave his wife his full attention, seeing that she looked a little better, despite her face being paler than usual.

"Let me see him," Amelia asked with excitement, even though she still felt really weak. "I want to see him."

"I know you do," Owen smiled and kissed her head before leaving her side and crossing the room to go get the baby. "Here he is…"

Amelia gathered all the energy she had left to stretch out her neck and see her baby's face for the first time, feeling her heart fluttering by what she saw. Her baby was even more adorable than he'd been in her dreams and she hadn't considered that to be possible.

"He is gorgeous," Amelia smiled, looking up to meet Owen's agreeing eyes. She studied the newborn's delicate features, noticing his thick strawberry blonde locks beneath the baby hat. "He has your hair…" She smiled at Owen, feeling tears gathering in her eyes.

Her baby was the most perfect child she'd ever seen and when his eyes opened and met hers, Amelia felt her entire world changing in a fraction of a second. And for the better.

"I want to hold him," She added, even though she felt weak and tired. Her lower abdomen still hurt from the birth and she knew it was probably getting worse in the following hours. "Will you give him to me?"

"Of course," Owen couldn't stop smiling at how emotional and in love Amelia seemed to be. He understood it very well, because that's exactly how he felt about their son.

Gently, Owen handed her the baby over the bed rail, expecting Amelia to stretch out her arms to receive the newborn. But when she silently started to cry, he realized she didn't have enough strength to support the baby's weight.

"It's okay, shh, it's okay," Owen tried to console her, holding their son in one arm while gently stroking her hair. "You've been through so much, your body is still recovering, Amelia. Don't push yourself too hard. You'll hold him soon."

"I can't even hold my own child," Amelia let out a weak cry, feeling like a failure. "I have to breastfeed him, he needs me," She felt a tear rolling down her cheek, unable to take her eyes off the amazing littlle boy. Much too soon, terrifying thoughts occupied her mind. "What if I drop him?" She freaked out, looking up to Owen with fear stamped on her eyes.

Owen noticed how worked up and anxious she was getting and without a second thought, he placed the baby safely between her legs on the bed, knowing the rails wouldn't allow the baby to fall. Before Amelia could process what he was doing, Owen took off his shoes and sweater, staying only in the navy scrubs he'd been wearing since the delivery. With one gentle motion, he lowered the bed frame, getting behind Amelia with one leg on each side of her body. Slowly, he shifted to make her back rest against his chest at the same time he picked up their newborn son, holding him close to Amelia's chest while supporting her arms so she could firmly hold the baby.

"Now you're holding your baby," Owen informed her with a patient smile, touching the side of his face to her cheek as he looked down over her shoulder, adoringly gazing at their son the same way Amelia was.

"Hey, sweetheart," Amelia felt a wave of tears assaulting her and her voice was shaking when her chest felt like it was going to burst from so much love. "Hi, Lucas."

The baby fussed in her arms and at the sound of her voice and smell of her body, dug his face into her chest, instinctively looking for her breast. Amelia smiled as she lowered her gown, feeling better already. Her first baby hadn't been able to suck so this was an entirely new and welcomed experience for her.

"Ouch, he is so strong," She giggled, turning her head to meet Owen's happy gaze. "I thought newborns weren't this active on their first day?" Amelia couldn't help looking back at her son.

"He clearly has a talent to stir up trouble," Owen joked, gently caressing the baby's head while the newborn stayed fiercely attached to his mother's breast. Over the following years, Owen would find out just how true his last sentence would turn out to be.

Moments later, after Lucas was done breastfeeding, Amelia started to feel drained again. She knew the medication they'd given her wouldn't affect her child through lactation, but they still made her a bit drowsy.

"If I fall asleep, will you hold him?" Amelia sheepishly asked her husband.

"Of course I will," Owen kissed her head as he felt her snuggling against his chest, making herself comfortable while he kept his arms wrapped around hers and their baby. "Close your eyes and rest now, babe. You don't have to worry about anything," Owen added, giving her another kiss on the temple before Amelia finally closed her eyes, giving in to exhaustion. "I got you."

Amelia smiled at the sound of his words, knowing the depth of their meaning. Even though her body still protested with a bit of pain, everything was fine now. Her baby was healthy and comfortably sleeping in her arms while she was wrapped in the arms of the only person who could fully understand and share that amazing experience with her. Resting her head against his shoulder, Amelia relaxed, knowing that in Owen's arms she had just found the safest place in the world.

.

Amelia finished dressing up Lucas, smiling at how adorable he looked in the pastel green clothes. Truth was her son was so gorgeous he looked good in anything. It had been over a month since that July 9th that had started out so scary and ended up so well.

"Grandma is going to love seeing you in the clothes she gave you, I have to send her a photo later," Amelia talked to the baby, seeing Lucas's eyes were moving following the sound of her voice. "Yeah, are you excited that you're one month old today? I am too!" Amelia smiled at the infant on her bed, playing with his hands as he grabbed her finger.

Over the past thirty days, a lot had changed in the house and despite the late hours, sleep deprivation and busy routine, she didn't regret one bit the decision they'd made. Her baby boy had come in the most perfect time, adding a lot of joy and love to their household. Owen had taken a couple of weeks from work but ever since he came back, all he wanted to do was spend time with his son.

They'd brought him from the hospital two days after birth and Addison had stayed with them during Lucas' first week at home. Before she went back to Los Angeles, Owen and Amelia surprised her by telling her they both would be thrilled if she agreed to be their baby's godmother, which she excitedly accepted. Over the following weeks, some close friends and family members had also come over for quick visits and everyone agreed that Amelia's baby boy was the cutest little thing.

"Do you think dad is going to like his gift?" Amelia asked with excitement. The minute she picked up Lucas he moved his head, making it clear what he wanted. "Why do you need to eat every hour? You're hungry _all the time_ …" She playfully complained, sitting down on the living room couch with Lucas while he breastfed.

When Owen made it home later that day, as usual he took care of dinner all the while keeping an eye on his son. Now that he was a month old, Lucas was sleeping for nearly five hours every evening, which provided Amelia with at least some rest during the night.

"Are you going to bed?" Owen asked his wife after she'd put their baby down in his crib. They were keeping it inside their room for the time being, since Amelia still had to wake up a few times to feed Lucas during the night.

"I will soon, but first I need to show you something," Amelia replied with an excited smile, turning on the baby monitor while she signaled Owen that he should follow her to the living room.

Owen imagined his wife would show him a video or picture of their son. She knew he liked to see everything, since he couldn't be with them full time. So, Owen was very surprised when Amelia handed him a small black box.

"Before you open it," Amelia took his hand on hers and made him sit down on the couch in front her. "I want you to know what this means to me," She explained, referring to giving him a gift. "When I told you I was pregnant, you gave me this ring as a promise," She smiled widely, looking from his eyes to the sparkling diamond on her finger. "Well, this is kind of a promise too," She explained.

"How so?" Owen smiled widely, touched by the unexpected gift.

"I want you to know that I am here for you too," She smiled, excited about his reaction. "Go on, open it!"

Amelia went around him and put her right knee on the couch, wrapping both arms around her husband's shoulders from behind as he carefully opened the box. Owen's entire face lit up when he noticed the silver watch inside of it. It was obviously a very meaningful and expensive gift and he wondered what had motivated Amelia to get it for him.

"My mom saved up for months to give my dad a watch once and it meant a lot to him," She said with a sad smile, holding Owen closer as she watched him put the present on his wrist. "It's the only thing I have of him now and every time I look at it, I smile because I think of how amazing my dad was," She confessed with total honesty. "I didn't get to spend much time with him but that bit I remember." She explained.

Amelia had thought about giving her dad's watch to her husband but she'd done something similar in the past, ultimately to be reminded of all of her failures. During her time in rehab while still in Los Angeles, every time she felt like her world was falling apart, she would look for strength in that watch. And slowly, Amelia had found a connection with her dad that she hadn't known was there.

One day, after stumbling against the watch while going through her things, Amelia had a great idea. The same day, she'd gone out and bought a new watch, one of the same brand as her father's. Her dad's watch would always remind her of the past, while Owen's watch would represent an entire new future.

Seeing as Owen turned his head to meet her eyes, she tightened her grip around him and she felt her husband gently moving on the couch, bringing her to sit on his legs.

"I thought that maybe," Amelia touched her forehead to his, every day more enchanted by his presence and his love, "Maybe one day when we're older and our son is a grown man you might want to pass this watch on to him, so he can look at it and, just like me, use it to think about the amazing dad he has."

Owen pulled apart gently, looking into her eyes with a mix of adoration and gratitude. He was left speechless by the significance of her present. Not only had Amelia sneakily said she thought he was an amazing dad, which was already enough to make Owen feel proud, she had also expressed how much she liked the idea of Owen being as close to their son as possible. Whenever he thought he couldn't love Amelia more, she found a way to surprise him.

"I love you," Owen held her face between his hands, capturing her lips with violent tenderness. Amelia smiled as she parted her mouth, allowing full access to his.

When Owen finally broke their kiss apart, he hugged her tightly. Amelia knew that whenever Owen was deeply silent like that, with his eyes he could say a thousand words and she smiled back, profoundly in love with the man who'd given her everything.

"This is so special," Owen said, looking from her face to the wonderful watch he now had on his wrist. "Thank you."

"Well, I had to give you a present worthy of the one you've given me. Our son is very special," Amelia gave him a sneaky smile, teasing her husband with gentle bites and kisses on his lips. "He is so amazing."

"He is," Owen agreed, unable to let go of her. Even though Amelia wasn't fully cleared to resume sexual activity, it didn't mean he desired her any less. "I can't wait to have you again," Owen looked deeply into her eyes, letting her know how true his sentence was.

"I know, me too," Amelia confessed nudging her nose to his. "Soon," She consoled him, caressing the hair on the back of his head.

Owen answered by stealing another breathtaking kiss from her lips, while his hand swiftly made its way beneath her shirt, splaying on the warm skin of her back. In about an hour, Lucas would wake up to be breastfed but until then, they could enjoy the little time they had for themselves.

Everything Owen had ever dreamed of was right there, in his house, within his reach. He had married the woman he loved, she'd given him the most adorable little boy and Lucas had given Owen a reason to believe in love at first sight. Every day, he fell more in love with his son. Life was the best it had ever been and not a day went by when Owen didn't feel grateful for everything he'd gotten. He had wished for those things all his life and even though now he was finally getting to experience all of them, the life and the family Owen had built with Amelia didn't feel at all like a happy ending.

Instead, it felt like an amazing happy beginning.


	29. The Perfect Recipe

**My Boys Drabbles – The Perfect Recipe**

Amelia let out a giggle that echoed loudly throughout the room.

"Why are you laughing?" Owen's face popped from underneath the blankets. He looked almost offended. "This isn't supposed to be funny."

"You were tickling me," Amelia replied with good humor, feeling deeply relaxed.

She was lying on her back wearing nothing but her underwear, thoroughly enjoying the trail of kisses her husband had just been tracing through her entire body.

"Well, if you want me to, I can stop," Owen decided with a grumpy face.

"No, no, no…" Amelia immediately answered, grabbing her husband by his hair to push him back under the covers. "Keep going."

Owen let out an amused sigh of impatience and resumed what he was doing. More determined than ever to please her, he wrapped his fingers around her knee and pulled her leg down, brushing his lips on the inside of her thigh.

Amelia gasped for air when she felt his tongue slowly ascending, driving her crazy with anticipation. Her reaction didn't go unnoticed, making Owen intentionally stop his kisses just when he was about to reach where he knew she wanted to be touched.

"You've stopped again," Amelia complained with frustration, blowing a lock of her hair that had just fallen on her face.

"Amelia," Owen's voice sounded muffled and he smiled under the blanket. He couldn't see anything but he really didn't have to. Amelia's body was known territory and even in total darkness he could draw a perfect map of all the gentle curves and beautiful shapes of his wife. Her flawless ivory skin was soft and familiar against his lips. Owen always felt like he couldn't get enough of her. "You have to be patient."

Amelia smiled and playfully rolled her eyes, even though Owen couldn't see it. He was having fun at her expense and she knew it, but she didn't mind. Soon enough, she would get back at him for it.

"You promised you'd go down on me, I'm waiting for it," She playfully provoked him, laughing at her own impatience.

"I am trying to, but you won't shut up," He felt her moving, struggling to contain her excitment.

Owen turned his head and Amelia could feel his breath hovering between her bellybutton and the hem of her panties. Her hands automatically traveled to the sides of his head. Amelia gently scratched his scalp and pulled his thick blonde locks, closing her eyes to prepare herself for what would happen next.

Owen smiled with pleasure when he felt her fingers digging through his hair. That was her signal. Whenever Amelia was really turned on, she would do exactly that. Not wasting any more time, he gently pulled the delicate fabric of her panties, slowly removing it through the extension of her legs. With one swift movement, Owen wrapped his arms around her thighs and that was the last thing Amelia remembered before being assaulted by a blissful wave of nothing but absolute pleasure for the following minutes.

"That's the reaction I expected," Owen said with a confident smile as he covered the length of her body with his, right after giving his wife an amazing climax. "Hard work pays off, you see."

"I am high maintenance, you know that," Amelia provoked him, biting her lower lip.

"I do," Owen whispered against her lips with a smile. "Totally worth it, though." He added, intensely staring into her eyes.

Amelia smiled and before she could say anything, Owen stole her thoughts by hungrily devouring her lips in a kiss that was as intense as it was sweet.

"This is not fair, you always want to be on top," Amelia playfully pushed him, laughing at Owen's failed attempt to kiss her again when she dodged his lips. " _I_ want to be on top," She decided, widening her eyes to make him see she meant it.

Owen let out an exasperated sigh, visibly frustrated at another interruption. Without a word, he rolled over to his back and brought her with him, making Amelia straddle his hips with one swift motion.

"There, happy?" He couldn't help smiling, seeing her adorable dimples dancing on her cheeks.

"Yes," Amelia grinned like a child, running her palms on the extension of his strong arms. Owen's body felt like steel covered in the softest fabric and she loved how powerful he looked with his hungry eyes and muscular body, looking at her like he was drowning in desire.

"So, now you're on top," Owen teased her, grabbing her naked thighs with his hands very suggestively. He gave her a deep, intense look before smiling with the corner of his mouth. "Won't you do something about it?"

Amelia's eyes met his and she couldn't contain a chuckle at his provocation, bending over him to kiss his lips. His hands went from her legs to her waist as Owen wrapped both arms around her, imprisoning his wife in his embrace. Soon after, Amelia found the perfect position on his hips and when she started moving her body, slowly swaying on his top, Owen felt nothing but satisfied to completely let her take the lead.

.

Owen woke up the following morning and rolled over to his side, expecting to find Amelia. He knew he shouldn't be surprised that she'd already left the bed, considering his wife usually woke up before him but that was the first free weekend they'd have together in weeks and he had been hoping they stayed in bed a little longer.

The trauma surgeon went to the bathroom for his morning routine but didn't bother changing from his pajamas, as he intended to have a lazy Saturday and spend the entire day at home doing absolutely nothing other than enjoying the company of his family. Looking at the clock, he noticed it was a few minutes past eight and his stomach eagerly demanded food.

As Owen entered the kitchen in search of fresh coffee he couldn't contain a smile when his eyes scanned the adorable figure of his wife. With her back turned to him, Amelia stood barefoot by the kitchen counter, wearing one of his old Army training shirts. The grey piece of clothing almost made it to her elbows and knees, but Owen thought she'd never looked more feminine than she did now, with the gracious sway of her hips moving back and forth as she apparently had her hands on a cook book while adding ingredients to a bowl.

"Hey," Owen came from behind, startling her. "What have you got there?" He inspected the counter, looking over her shoulder.

"God, do you always have to sneak up on me like that?" Amelia said with a rapid breath, recovering from the scare he'd given her. Her tone of voice suddenly changed to a much sweeter one when she explained. "I am baking Tommy a cake."

"A cake?" Owen frowned as he moved toward the coffee maker, grabbing a mug from the cabinet above the sink.

"Thomas won the tournament they had for the kids at tennis practice yesterday and I just thought it'd be nice if we celebrated it."

"Because he won against two other kids at tennis practice?" Owen furrowed his brow, giving his wife a doubtful look. "Babe, he played against two other eight year olds. I'd hardly call that a tournament," Owen laughed.

"Well, you know how bad he felt playing sports because we have always supposed he'd want to play soccer with Lucas," Amelia replied defensively. "He was really bad at it and I know it bothered him because Tommy is too hard on himself. Now he's found a sport he likes and is actually good at, so I'm trying to encourage him. You know," Amelia playfully rolled her eyes at him, obviously judging, "Unlike some, I am trying to be a supportive parent."

Owen let out a loud chuckle, seeing she was pestering him on purpose.

"Besides, he asked me yesterday after tennis if we had any cake at home." Amelia confessed. "I told him we didn't have any but I promised we would celebrate his medal with a chocolate cake. I didn't even know he liked chocolate cake all that much."

"Blame it on my mom," Owen said unaffectedly. Evelyn Hunt often spoiled her grandchildren with sweets and baked goods. "But you are right, he really has made progress in tennis and I think it's a much more suited sport for him than soccer. Tom deserves all the encouragement," The surgeon added, knowing he was about to irritate his wife. "But babe, are you sure that baking a cake is the best way to do it? I mean," He took a sip of his steamy coffee before adding, trying to be as gentle as possible, "Are you sure you want to do this yourself?" Owen asked, suggestively looking at the picture of a chocolate cake on the recipe book Amelia had been reading.

She scowled at him, visibly offended. He could tell by the look on her face she was about to get defensive.

"Get lost, Owen, if you are not helping then at least don't get in the way," She grumpily replied, shooing him from the counter.

"I was just asking a question," Owen said with pretend innocence, trying his hardest to contain a smile.

"Well, thank you for the benefit of the doubt," Amelia ironically replied as she glared at him.

"Not that I don't think you _could_ bake a cake but let's just say your history speaks against you," Owen openly teased the fact that she wasn't and had never been very good at any kind of cooking, especially baking.

"Don't you have something better to do?" Amelia snapped, angry at him. "Go watch football or something and leave me alone."

"Someone's cranky this morning…" Owen provoked her, taking one step closer as she cracked an egg to add to the mix. "And here I thought that after last night I'd find you in the best mood," He held her waist from behind with one hand while holding the coffee mug and pressed her back against his chest, planting a kiss right beneath her ear. "Good morning, by the way." Owen playfully said before burying his face on the crook of her neck, feeling the familiar scent of her hair.

Amelia was about to push him away, refusing to be fooled by his charming manners, when they were interrupted by the distinguished sound of their two year old daughter's cries.

"Meg is awake," Amelia needlessly said, hoping to get rid of her very annoying husband.

"I'll go get her," Owen kissed her lips before she could stop him. "Try not to poison the mix while I'm gone," He teased her, dodging his wife's playful attempt to smack him.

Amelia couldn't contain a laugh as she watched Owen disappear onto the stairs. He had insulted her by implying she couldn't bake a simple cake and Amelia decided to turn her rage into focus. She would bake the best cake he had ever seen and when Owen tried the first slice, he would swallow each nasty word he'd said to her with it.

.

About thirty minutes later, Owen went down the stairs carrying Megan in his arms. He found it odd to realize Amelia wasn't in the kitchen, since he expected her to be fully invested in the recipe she was preparing. Megan was blabbering something as her dad prepared her breakfast when Owen finally caught sight of his wife entering the house through the kitchen back door.

"What?" He asked, not sure if he should say something. Amelia looked infuriated.

She looked up to meet his eyes and icily stared at him. Even Megan seemed to notice it, because the girl defensively wrapped one arm around her dad's neck, clinging to him.

"Nothing," Amelia dangerously replied, only softening her expression when she leaned over to give her daughter a good morning kiss on the head.

"So…?" Owen carefully tried to assess the situation while giving Megan a peeled banana and a sippy cup. "Where is the cake? Is it still in the oven?" He asked with genuine interest.

Amelia ignored his question completely but when she realized he was sniffing around, probably thinking she'd burnt the cake, she snapped.

"It's not in the oven, okay?" Her voice sounded resentful. "It's in the trash outside." She paused and let out a heavy sigh. "Happy?" Amelia rolled her eyes at him, hating to admit she'd failed, especially when Owen had pretty much admitted he expected her to.

"Not happy," Owen explained, tilting his head at the same time he shrugged his shoulders, seeing how annoyed she looked. "But I can't say I am surprised either." He added with a teasing smile, determined to annoy her.

Amelia scoffed at his provocation. She had always known she wasn't very talented in the kitchen and that was fine. What was really annoying was the way Owen would make fun of her because in that situation, she really had no arguments to counter strike. Amelia knew she was highly competitive, so she hated to be proven wrong.

"It is okay, babe," Owen added after he'd put Megan on the high chair while Amelia finished cleaning up her mess. "Don't beat yourself up about this," Owen looked at her with a genuine smile, void of any provocation this time. "It doesn't mean anything." He finished, referring to the fact that Amelia's abilities as a mother couldn't be measured by her cooking skills. Their kids loved her because she was a caring and affectionate parent, not because she baked for them.

But the second Owen was hit by a handful of flour on his head he realized he'd said something wrong. Quickly turning around, expecting to find his wife fuming with anger, he was surprised to find her with her lips trembling, obviously fighting the urge to laugh.

"What are you doing?" Owen asked, wiping the white flour from his mouth. He could not believe what Amelia had just done. "Did you just throw flour on me?" He raised one eyebrow, hoping to be angry at her childish reaction but couldn't, not when she was looking at him like that.

"You said it doesn't mean anything that I baked a cake to make my son happy!" Amelia explained with an angry voice, already accepting that she was probably going to get revenge for her impulsive decision. She had been irate at him but couldn't help cracking up at his surprised moment when he'd been unexpectedly hit.

"No," Owen said, dangerously taking two steps in her direction, trying his best to sound angry when all he wanted to do was laugh. There was flour all over his hair and the side of his face and he probably looked pathetic, undoubtedly the reason why she seemed so amused. "I said it doesn't mean anything that you can't bake a cake because that doesn't change who you are as a mom."

Amelia heard his explanations and took long seconds to process that information, feeling even more stupid for acting on an impulse driven by anger.

"Oh," Her face changed when she realized what he was talking about. That was very sweet of Owen but she had completely misunderstood it. "Well, next time explain yourself better!" Amelia argued, feeling hotheaded again. "How would I know you weren't making fun of me again when you spent every minute since you woke up laughing at my expense?!"

Owen didn't bother to reply, choosing to take two large strides in her direction instead. Amelia realized she was trapped between him and the kitchen counter only when it was already too late. Her husband stared at her with a smug smile on his lips and a very vindictive look in his eyes.

"So, how do you want to do this?" He calmly asked, supporting both hands on the counter, one on each side of his wife. His face looked very serious before she looked up questioningly at him. "Flour, eggs or milk?"

"None!" Amelia replied in a hurry, trying to escape by slipping through his embrace but right when she thought she'd succeeded, Owen's arms firmly wrapped around her waist from behind, nearly lifting her from the floor.

"This just got a thousand times worse for you," Owen playfully lectured her with a provocative smile, the intensity of his gaze showing her that he was really invested in getting revenge.

"Look at your child over there," Amelia couldn't contain a heartfelt scream of laughter when he grabbed a handful of chocolate powder and rubbed it on her chest, between her neck and breasts. She could feel Owen's body pressed against her back as his hand possessively held her with no chance of escaping. "You're going to set a bad example," She bargained with a fake innocence.

"So, _now_ you're worried about that," Owen reprimanded her at the same time he glued his lips to her neck, feeling the amazing smell of chocolate mixing with his wife's delicious scent. "Maybe I was wrong… Maybe you're not a good mom, after all," Owen teased, rejoicing in her laughter at the same time she tried to escape.

Megan stared at them while holding her sippy cup between her hands. The toddler's giggle resonated in the room when she saw the scene playing out in front of her. Both her parents stopped what they were doing and smiled at her, too contaminated by the little girl's joy to think about anything else but when Amelia thought their little battle was over, she was surprised when Owen once again attacked her with a shower of kisses.

"You won, I'm a bad mom, I'm a bad mom," Amelia lied, urging him to stop at the same time she was unable to contain giggles when Owen sucked the bits of her skin that were stained with chocolate. "Let me go," She tried to push him away, laughing at that delightful ticklish torture.

"No, you are not," Owen turned her around in his arms, thinking about the mess they'd made. There was chocolate powder and flour everywhere on the floor and now Amelia looked as much of a mess as he did. "You're a great mom," He corrected her, even though Amelia knew it. When their eyes met, the two of them smiled at each other with full affinity, giving up their playful banter from just moments before.

"Yes," Amelia stood on the tips of her toes to kiss his lips. She walked over to Megan and helped the little girl with her breakfast. "Look at the mess your dad made, sweetheart," She playfully said, pointing at Owen.

"Dad, you look funny," Megan smiled, obliviously happy.

"We should take a shower," Amelia realized, thinking out loud.

"Together?" Owen took a step in her direction and raised his eyebrows in anticipation. He wanted that very much but he didn't see how it was possible considering Megan was awake and soon enough the boys would be too, demanding their parents' attention.

"Maybe later," Amelia promised with a dirty smile, already leaning over to provoke her husband again when they were interrupted by a sleepy voice.

"What's going on?"

Both parents turned their heads to find their eight year old son standing at the kitchen doorway, visibly confused at the mess in the entire kitchen.

"Uhm," Amelia hesitated, avoiding looking into her husband's eyes or she would begin to laugh again. "We just had a little accident."

"Yes," Owen confirmed the story. "Mom was baking you a cake, Tommy."

"Really?" Thomas sounded surprise as he walked into the kitchen and sat on the chair beside his sister's with a big smile on his face. "But why?"

Amelia looked at Owen with confusion in her eyes, wondering why on Earth he'd promised Thomas a cake when she had just thrown it in the trash after it came out of the oven with burnt edges and a raw middle. He noticed the perplexity in his wife's face and carefully explained.

"You asked her for it yesterday, remember?"

Thomas frowned in confusion. He remembered asking his mother if they still had any leftover cake his grandma had baked during the week but maybe she'd misunderstood it. He had no idea his mom could bake, considering it was his dad who did most of the cooking.

"Oh, that's nice, I can't wait to try it," Thomas replied with a happy grin. "Can I have it for breakfast?"

"No," Owen immediately stepped in, opening the fridge to grab some eggs, before Amelia could do as she planned and tell Thomas that there was no cake. "It's for later, when your brothers are up too and we can all eat it together."

"Okay," Thomas replied with resignation.

"What are you doing?" Amelia got up and followed him, whispering in his ear while Owen grabbed a pan to scramble eggs. "There is no cake! And now you pretty much just promised him one!"

"When I went to get Meg, I texted my mom asking if she could bake a chocolate cake for Thomas. She will bring it over later this afternoon so you can carry on with the celebration you planned."

Amelia furrowed her eyebrows, thinking over the situation.

"Does this mean you texted your mom asking for a cake _before_ you even knew my attempt at baking one failed?" She asked with both hands on her hips.

"Well…" Owen tried to hide his guilty face while he scrambled eggs for breakfast. "Come on, baby, I wasn't wrong, right?" He pleaded, looking into her eyes with his best loving face, hoping she wouldn't get too mad. "I mean, at least this way you'll get to have the little party you planned?"

Owen noticed the rush of blood that ran to his wife's face as she got visibly angrier. When he thought she was about to hit him with her closed fists, he found out her reaction.

"You're stupid and you have girly eyelashes," Amelia bitterly replied, hoping to get back at him despite knowing she was being irrational.

Owen turned around, torn between laughing or being offended, but he couldn't say anything because Amelia had already taken a seat next to Thomas and Megan, helping them out with breakfast without bothering to look at him. He sighed in conformation, knowing that from that moment on, his wife would make his day as difficult as she possibly could.

.

"Are you still mad?" Owen asked with a whisper later that day, taking a sit next to his wife in the living room.

Their five children were gathered around the coffee table, happily listening to Evelyn as she cut each of them a slice of the cake she'd brought while Amelia observed from the couch with Robbie sitting on her legs. The way she ignored his question and playfully stole a piece of cake from Robbie, making the boy laugh, let Owen know her answer was affirmative.

"Look, my mom didn't tell Tom it was her who baked that cake," He confessed. Owen had deliberately asked his mother not to say anything to Thomas or any of the kids, explaining why it mattered so much to Amelia. Evelyn immediately had agreed to the plot, touched by the effort her daughter in law had been making to encourage her grandson.

"I told him that grandma made it," Amelia turned around to look at her husband, tightening her grip around Robbie while the five year old boy devoured the chocolate sprinkles, oblivious into his parents' conversation. "It's okay." She nodded her head in conformation after making eye contact with her husband. "Tommy got the cake he wished for and that's all that matters."

Owen agreed in silence, looking back at his children who laughed as they interacted with their grandmother, all of them visibly happy. He smiled widely at the scene before turning his head to meet his wife again.

"I'm sorry I doubted you," Owen took one hand to her face and held her chin between his fingers. "It wasn't very nice of me."

Amelia absorbed the meaning of his words, thankful for his sincerity.

"You were right though," She gave him a half hearted smile. "I mean, who I am trying to fool? I have no skills in the kitchen."

Owen laughed at her truthful confession, hoping she realized he wasn't laughing at her, but with her.

"I guess I'm just too stubborn to accept that even though I can perfectly dissect a complicated hemangioma, I can't follow a simple baking recipe without turning it into a disaster."

"Well, look on the bright side, at least you didn't burn down the house like you would have in the old days."

"You're very funny," Amelia ironically replied, letting out a conformed sigh.

"But as you said, even though you lack skills in the kitchen, you are far too talented in other areas," Owen added with a smile. "The OR, for example," He cited and then leaned over to whisper in her ear with a malicious grin. "But I really am a fan of your bedroom skills. No one can perform in there like you can."

Amelia cracked up, playfully nudging his shoulder with hers in provocation. Their eyes met and she smiled back at him, knowing Owen had meant what he'd said. It really was true. They had amazing chemistry in bed and she knew it.

"Last night is good enough proof, I assume," She teased him, biting her lower lip when she remembered their amazing lovemaking. Amelia too chose to whisper when she approached her lips to his ear. "I expect another visit down there to make it up for your bitchiness today."

Owen encircled her shoulders with one of his arms, pulling her closer as Robbie got up from his mother's lap to get a second slice.

"But know that tonight, I'll be on top," He provoked her. Amelia smiled with anticipation when she felt his warm breath on her ear. "You'll see who has the girly lashes when I'm done with you."

"Bring it," Amelia challenged him, flashing her dirtiest smile before she turned around and her expression changed completely when she focused on the children.

"Where is your medal, Tom? I thought we were celebrating your big win?" Owen asked out loud, seeing their son look up in surprise. "Well, go get it!"

The boy rushed upstairs with a big smile on his face, obviously rejoicing being the one to get praise for his physical performance, something that was usually reserved for Lucas.

"I want a medal," Megan decided, looking from her grandmother to her parents with an innocent expression.

Owen smiled with pride when he noticed the little girl's strawberry blonde locks. Those added to her blue eyes, identical to her mom's, made her look like a little angel. He couldn't be fooled, though. His daughter only had the looks, because even though she was only two years old, Megan was already very good at wrapping everyone around her finger.

"What will you get a medal for?" Evelyn asked with a smile, watching her only granddaughter frolicking around the coffee table.

"Best sister," Megan replied simply, with a charming smile.

Amelia took a deep breath and looked at Owen, translating what was very clear to her.

"These boys have no idea what's reserved for them…" She smiled when she noticed Owen didn't know what she meant. "Megan is their only sister and no one can take that from her but she will grow up making them fight each other for her favoritism… And trust me, they will," Amelia predicted, knowing all four boys were crazy about their little sister. "This is very convenient for Megan, considering how much she has to gain from the situation. She will manipulate them into doing anything she wants."

Owen frowned, thinking about what his wife had just said and he quickly realized it made a lot of sense.

"Oh God, she already does that," He widened his eyes in shock, after noticing their daughter's wicked smile as she successfully tried to have her way with Danny. "She lets them think they're in control when she is actually calling the shots."

"She does it to you too, Owen, you're just too oblivious to notice it."

"What?!" Owen frowned, feeling offended at how absurd her attack had been.

"Yup," Amelia agreed with a head nod, side by a side with Owen as they stared at their daughter. "You don't even see it, do you?" She looked at him with a pretend condescending look before Owen rolled his eyes, finally admitting what everyone knew was true.

"I wonder where she takes that from," He said with mirth.

"Survival skills," Amelia justified with a fierce attitude. "When you're the fifth child, you either adapt or your siblings will crush you."

"I guess you have a point," Owen smiled with contentment, seconds before Thomas came running down the stairs, proudly showing off his medal at the same time he distracted everyone from their thoughts.

.

Later that day, Amelia was lying on her bed with the TV turned on. All five kids were peacefully sleeping in their beds and she had just finished cleaning up the mess downstairs when Owen went to give his mom a ride home.

When he made it back home, Owen entered the room engulfed in darkness, except for the bright light coming from the TV.

"Hey," He gently whispered at his wife at the same time he unbuttoned his shirt. "Are you awake?"

Amelia rolled around on the bed, regaining full conscienceness at the sound of his voice.

"Whoa, I fell asleep and didn't even realize it," She said, rubbing her eyes, trying to adjust them to the dim light of the room. "Did you lock up downstairs?"

"I did," Owen said, changing to his pajamas pants.

It didn't take Owen long to turn off the TV before finally joining her on their bed.

"Today has been a fun day," Amelia confessed when she felt the weight of his body next to hers.

"Yeah, it has," Owen agreed with a smile, surrounding her waist with his strong arm. "Does it have to be over, though?" He bent over her, kissing the side of her neck. "There is always room for more fun," Owen flirted with her.

"You did say you wanted to be on top," Amelia smiled with malice, pulling him to her top.

Owen didn't bother to reply, focusing instead on kissing her lips. That Saturday had been everything he had hoped for: a quiet, relaxed day inside with his family. He really didn't need much else to be happy. The disastrous incident in the kitchen had only proved itself as an opportunity to make them have even more fun together and Owen didn't mind one bit that his wife couldn't bake or cook in general.

Amelia was amazing exactly the way she was. She was a caring, devoted mother, excellent professional and a loving and affectionate wife. He couldn't have imagined a better person to share his life with even in his wildest dreams. Owen smiled to himself when she encircled his neck with her arms, seizing control of his mouth at the same time she ran one of her feet on the extension of his legs beneath the blankets. Cookbooks, detailed plans and organized scripts could never do her justice; she was far too good and spontaneous for those.

And for all that it was worth, to Owen, Amelia herself was already the perfect recipe.


	30. White Christmas

**Hi guys, just some Holiday fluff to lift the spirits before the holidays. I hope you all enjoy it.**

 **My Boys Drabbles – White Christmas**

Owen slowly opened his eyes, trying to regain full consciousness. He felt strangely cold and couldn't quite figure out why.

His eyes scanned the surroundings of his bedroom and by the nightstand clock on his wife's side of the bed he noticed it wasn't even six in the morning. Too uncomfortable to go back to sleep, the trauma surgeon got up and realized why he was feeling so cold. At some point during the night, Amelia had hogged the covers and wrapped only herself in their comfortable duvet. But when Owen walked past the window to go to the bathroom, he gently pulled the curtains and was amazed by what he saw.

Big, thick snowflakes fell from the sky in a white cascade that was too dazzling not to watch. The weather had drastically changed overnight and that explained why the temperature inside the room dropped so suddenly. Winter snow wasn't exactly rare in Seattle, but it'd been a while since Owen had seen it get this bad. Especially around the holidays. Inches and inches of snow were piled on the streets, rooftops and even on trees. And judging by the wind and the color of the sky, it didn't look like the storm would give a break any time soon.

It was no wonder Amelia looked like a cinnamon roll wrapped in the blanket, Owen thought with a smile. She was always complaining he didn't turn the thermostat up to a comfortable temperature and now even he had to admit that at this moment, she had a point.

Already completely awake, Owen gave up returning to bed and instead, settled for going downstairs. He had always been a big fan of Christmas but after becoming a father, the holiday had acquired an even more special meaning. Owen just loved seeing his kids' happy little faces on Christmas morning and with that thought in mind, he took his time arranging the presents underneath the big tree in the living room.

For the past two weeks, he and Amelia had managed the incredible task of holiday shopping all the while juggling their busy schedules at work and the kids' end of term at school. But Owen couldn't complain about it for he loved every minute of that season. And he just couldn't wait for the moment the kids woke up and see how the living room had transformed overnight.

Owen was so lost in his own thoughts that he didn't notice time passing. Feeling hungry and particularly inspired, he went to the kitchen to make an attempt at breakfast. It was usually Amelia who took care of that meal, but he was hardly ever up before her, so maybe after making sure the kids were in for a surprise when they woke up, Owen could also do something special for his wife too.

Amelia walked down the stairs, attracted by the amazing smell of hot fresh coffee. She'd woken up to find the bed unusually empty beside her but the biggest surprise had been the snowstorm outside. The neurosurgeon wondered if that would compromise their plans to go for lunch at Evelyn's house but she didn't have a lot of time to dwell on it, because once inside the kitchen, she focused completely on the present moment.

Owen was taken by surprise when slender, feminine arms surrounded his waist from behind as a soft body pressed against his.

"What are you doing there?" His wife's sleepy voice asked at the same time she pulled him closer, touching the side of her face to his back.

Owen gently leaned backwards, covering her arms with his as he slightly turned his head to the side, talking to her over his shoulder.

"Making breakfast for you guys." He replied before she kissed the skin on the back of his neck.

"I thought that was on me." She smiled lazily. Amelia knew she was holding him too tightly and practically preventing him from moving around to resume his cooking. But at that moment she wasn't willing to compromise anything because she felt too comfortable to leave the warmth of his body.

"Well… Merry Christmas." Owen replied with a chuckle, watching as she laughed along.

"Merry Christmas." Amelia closed her eyes still smiling. She breathed him in and rejoiced in the familiarity of the scent on his old college shirt. "Can we wake up the kids? I can't wait for them to see the presents."

"You know," Owen gently raised one arm above her and swiftly pulled Amelia from behind him to his front, where he could fully look at her. "Sometimes I wonder who is the biggest kid, you or them."

"That's a silly question." Amelia pretended to be offended but then a huge smile made her adorable dimples move on her cheeks. "Me, of course."

"Why did I even doubt it?" Owen agreed, delighted. She looked younger and fresher than ever in dark leggings and an oversized sweatshirt making it almost all the way to her knees. He chucked her under the chin and brought her face closer, brushing his lips on hers before resuming his attention to the eggs he was preparing.

Amelia leaned backwards on the counter, soon after sitting on top of it with her legs crossed at the ankles bouncing back and forth.

"Do you think the weather is going to give a break?" She asked her husband while he moved around the kitchen, getting utensils from the cabinets and ingredients from the fridge. Earlier that week, the weather forecast had predicted the possibility of a snowstorm around Christmas time, but no one imagined it would get that bad. "I would hate to miss lunch at your mom's."

Owen and Amelia had gone to New York a few times to spend the holidays with her family, but they'd usually stay in Seattle and either have Evelyn over or go up to her house to be with the rest of the Hunt family. That year, a few of Owen's cousins were supposed to go to his mother's house for lunch too, but after taking another look at the heavy clouds outside, the neurosurgeon realized there was a big chance they'd have to change plans.

"I don't know," Owen frowned and looked over the window, preoccupied. It looked like the storm had gotten worse ever since he'd woken up that morning and he wasn't sure how safe it'd be to drive through the streets in those conditions. "Let's check the news."

Amelia went to the living room and turned on the TV, being soon followed by her husband who arrived with two plates in his hands. Owen noticed it was a little before eight in the morning and yet the street outside still looked dark and damp.

"I can't believe we're snowed in." Amelia sighed, catching Owen's attention.

He looked at her and couldn't help chuckling at his wife's frustrated expression. Amelia sat on the smallest couch with her feet propped on it, giving him a lazy pout as she caught up with the weather updates on the news.

"It could still get better." Owen tried to sound encouraging, taking a sip from his coffee.

"Babe, they just said we should expect eight inches of snow. That's gotta be a record." Amelia said, bothered with the idea. She was really looking forward to going to her mother in law's and she had a particular good reason for that. "The kids are going to be disappointed."

Owen very suggestively looked at the pile of presents underneath the tree and then back at his wife, raising one eyebrow in defiance to her latest statement.

"Yeah, point taken." She agreed with his silent argument. "I love it that you took the time to put all the presents there already." Amelia teasingly blew him a kiss. "It's very _neat_." She went on making fun of Owen's orderliness tendencies.

Her husband was very organized and it was no surprise the wrapped boxes were perfectly placed underneath the tree. Amelia wondered if Owen consciously stacked them in proportional distances or if it was something that naturally came to him after so much time being a disciplined military man.

"If I left it up to you, the presents wouldn't even be here at this point." He scowled, knowing very well how impatient Amelia was to properly wrap each toy.

Owen expected a witty comeback but instead, his wife simply blew steam off her coffee, looking at him over the mug with an expression that mixed playfulness and mischief. He noticed her wiggling toes under the colorful socks and couldn't hold back a smile. Amelia loved Christmas and she was always excited about it.

"Are you curious to find out what I got for you?" He asked from his couch opposite the TV, looking to the side to be facing her.

"I know what you got for me." Amelia smiled widely, half lying, half sitting on her sofa. She saw the raised eyebrow on her husband's face and chuckled, too relaxed to bother hiding she wasn't serious.

Owen noticed her loose façade and genuinely smiled, well aware she had no idea.

"Well?" He playfully challenged her. "What is it, then?"

Amelia kept staring at him with mirth in her eyes and then gave in, heartily laughing at his overly suspicious expression.

"Your undying love and affection?" Amelia attempted, watching as her husband cracked up laughing.

"You already have that." He slightly tilted his head to the side, looking at her with a loving gaze before it was replaced by a smug one. "Just admit it you have no idea what you're getting."

Amelia smiled with genuine contentment. Owen was teasing her, but he had no idea what he was in for.

Even though every year they went out together to shop for the kids, it wasn't uncommon that both Owen and Amelia got each other's presents and kept the surprise. The year before, Owen had surprised his wife with a new laptop computer. At the time, the present had come in very handy because their twin sons had spilled chocolate milk all over her keyboard while watching a cartoon on Netflix. Amelia had been grateful for this thoughtfulness and she'd hoped to be able to return the consideration but it was very rare for Owen to actually need something, considering how well he took care of his stuff.

The idea had then surged after a particularly slow day in the ER a few weeks before. At the time, Amelia had been paged for a consult. The patient was a former athlete who'd been hit on the head and briefly lost consciousness while coaching kids. After talking to the man for a few minutes, Amelia had found out he was actually a former player for the team her husband and kids were so crazy about and when the guy told her about the highlight of his career, she instantly recalled a memory Owen had once shared with her years before.

Amelia wasn't a sports person all that much, but she particularly remembered one of the few moments Owen had ever let his guard down enough to talk about his childhood. They had been discussing what to do for Christmas and as she recalled the happiest holidays of her life, all of which had been spent after settling down with Owen in Seattle, he'd asked her about the few Christmases Amelia had spent in New York with her family as a young child. The neurosurgeon confessed she didn't remember much, but she had a very good recollection of one holiday she'd spent with her father and the moment he'd picked her up to put her a bright star on top of the tree.

If Amelia closed her eyes, she could still vividly hear her beloved father's rich voice calling her his "Tiny Hurricane" as he had fun with her perseverance to reach the highest spot on their living room huge Christmas tree. But those memories weren't in Amelia's mind at the moment. Instead, she was thinking about how Owen had followed up her confession with one of his own.

Her husband had also lost his father at a very young age, but he rarely talked about how that had affected his life or made him feel. Amelia knew that while she had a hard time hiding how much the loss of a parent had turned her life upside down in the cruelest way, Owen had taken to himself the task of looking after his mother and sister and simply move on. But he had been only a nine year old boy at the time and Amelia knew it was way too much for a kid to handle.

She remembered the shy smile on his face when he'd told her about the happiest childhood memory he had. On the eve of the last Christmas Owen would ever spend with his father, the man had taken him to a football game. According to her husband, the moment had been special not only because it had been his father's last Christmas, but also because it was the first ever playoff game their team had ever been a part of. Owen had described to her how happy he felt to see his team winning but mostly, to witness that historic moment in the company of his father.

From that day forward, Amelia had gained a whole new understanding of why the sport and that team mattered so much to her husband, to the point of affecting his mood and contaminating even their children. And as she examined him going through the channels on the TV, unsuccessfully looking for something interesting to watch on that Christmas morning, a flash of a memory came to her mind.

" _Mr. Hughes?" Amelia made sure the guy was the patient she was supposed to see. "I see here on your file you had a trauma to the head while at work?"_

" _Yes," a built middle-aged man with a radiant smile had welcomed her into the exam room. "I was just teaching one of the guys how to properly tackle a lineman when this klutzy kid ran into me and tackled me himself." The senior guy laughed with forbearance. "I hit my head and felt dizzy. That's why I came here."_

 _Amelia spent the following minutes collecting a history and examining the patient. He looked alright to her, but just to make sure, she'd ordered a head CT. And while they waited for the result, she remembered finding the guy's history intriguing enough to make her want to ask:_

" _So, you coach football?" Amelia smiled, running her eyes on the screen before her._

" _Yeah. High school kids." The man nodded, proud of his work. "But I am a former player myself."_

" _Oh, really?" Amelia had distractedly continued the conversation, too focused on examining the scans. "My husband is a die hard Seahawk fan."_

" _I played for the Seahawks." The guy smiled broadly at her, anticipating her reaction._

 _Amelia had a fun time laughing at the coincidences of life but just as she was about to discharge Mr. Hughes, his age on the files had caught her attention and she heard herself asking before she could contain it._

" _Mr. Hughes." Amelia laughed to herself to realize she had by accident become one of those people who stored football information like an encyclopedia. "Have you by any chance played in the Seahawks team that made to the Playoffs for the first time?"_

 _The guy gave her a smug look, assuming the young surgeon in front of him was a big football fan too._

" _If I played?" He smirked, too proud to hide it. "I scored the last touchdown in our first ever playoff game against the Denver Broncos." The man smiled at her, gloating._

 _Amelia felt her heart racing as a crazy idea formed in her head. It was too much a coincidence that this guy had walked into her hospitals and been seen by her, of all neurosurgeons._

" _Was it the Christmas Eve game?" She attempted, biting her lower lip to contain her excitement._

 _The guy mistook her reaction by fan admiration and held his head high, puffing out his chest._

" _That very same one, young lady. We won thirty one to seven."_

" _Yes, I know." She smiled widely, thinking back about the day Owen had told her about this game and how he'd gone with his father. "I remember."_

" _Aren't you a bit too young to remember it?" The guy raised an eyebrow, suspicious._

 _Amelia stopped articulating a plan inside her mind and looked back at the guy, determined to make it happen. Judging by the smile on his face and how proud he felt to have his achievements recognized, she supposed he'd be up for what she was conjecturing._

" _Mr. Hughes, I know you're discharged but if you don't mind sticking around, I'd love to buy you coffee." Amelia smiled, charmingly guiding the guy outside the exam room. "I have a very special request for you…"_

"Amelia?"

Her husband's voice brought the neurosurgeon back to the present moment and Amelia blinked twice before making eye contact with him.

"Hm, yeah?" she asked, embarrassed to admit she had no idea how long he'd been trying to get her attention.

"Come here look at this." Owen's voice resonated in the large living room and it was only then Amelia noticed he'd gone to stand by the window. "I know the snow is going to ruin our plans but we can't deny it looks beautiful outside."

Amelia dropped her forgotten mug with now cold coffee on the table and went in his direction, pulling the drapes even further to have the same view.

"Oh… wow."

The scenery outside was indeed breathtaking and she smiled with contentment, wrapping one arm around Owen's hips as she moved closer to him.

"We really are snowed in." He stated, now utterly convinced.

"Yes…" Amelia smiled. At first she had rejected the idea but now that there was no alternative other than to accept the reality, she might as well enjoy it.

She collected the dirty dishes of their breakfast and took them the kitchen. By the time she made it back, Owen was resting on the couch watching an old Friends episode re run. As she passed through the Christmas tree, Amelia couldn't help laughing at the insane amount of presents. As a rule, she and Owen hardly ever bought their kids stuff or stimulated them to be great consumers, choosing instead to place value on what they were rather than what they had. But at the same time, the two of them had a fairly comfortable financial situation, so they tended to go a bit overboard in the few occasions they allowed themselves to buy presents for their kids, such as birthdays and Christmases.

"Hey, did you get the twins that racket thing they were pestering about?" Amelia walked past him. For the past month, their six year old sons wouldn't stop talking about the set.

"I did, but I am curious to see how they'll try it out with this weather," Owen pointed out.

"And did you remember it had to be in…"

"Green, yes, I remembered." Owen finished the sentence for her, earning an adorable smile in response.

Amelia unceremoniously lay next to him, taking up all the space available.

"But you still don't know what I got for you." He teased, turning his neck to make eye contact with her while his wife moved next to him.

"I am pretending I don't." Amelia laughed. She had her back turned to the TV, completely facing her husband instead.

"You're pretending you do." He corrected her, too pleased with the soft hand that played with the collar of his shirt.

"I know what you got me," she smiled mischievously. "It's just what I needed," Amelia added with a naughty grin, seeing the doubt in his eyes. "It's a week off somewhere in the Caribbean. A break from everything. Seven days, only to myself…" the neurosurgeon laughed at her husband's expression. "No kids, no Owen, no snow…" Amelia joked, loving that she had surprised him and her husband obviously didn't have a witty comeback to that. "Just me and the sun and a lot of free time to do only what I want."

"You already do only what you want." Owen reminded her, playfully pulling one of her thighs to the top of his hips as he trapped her in his embrace.

"That's true." Amelia laughed in return, unable to hide his gentle bites were tickling the sensitive skin of her neck.

"Are you serious, though?" Owen asked, too confused to make sense of the situation. "Do you really want some time off alone? Because I had no idea that's how you felt and I…"

His words were interrupted when familiar lips seized control of his own at the same time Amelia moved to his top, straddling his hips. Once his wife pulled apart, Owen saw the large smile on her face, added to a loving look in her eyes.

"Does it look like I want a break from you?" She asked as she bent to touch her forehead to his.

"No." Owen smiled when her arms wrapped around his neck. "It looks like you want something else from me."

Amelia threw her head back in a fit of laughter, unaware of how much that vision was pleasing her husband. He moved up on the couch just enough to sit back against the pillows, comfortably keeping her on his lap.

"You are cute," Amelia playfully held his face between her hands, talking to him as if he were a child. She was still facing opposite the TV, but the neurosurgeon had watched that show so many times that she knew exactly which episode of Friends was on. "Oh my God, it's the Christmas Armadillo!" Amelia laughed with anticipation, turning on his lap to finally face the television.

For the next minutes, she settled for watching the re run, having fun with it while playing with Owen's fingers between her hands. The episode was almost over when a sleepy figure came down the stairs, surprised to find both her parents lazily lying down on the couch that Christmas morning.

"Good morning, sweetheart… Come here," Amelia's face showed how happy to see the child as she opened her arms to welcome their three-year old daughter.

Megan did as told, yawning on her way there, but as she passed through the presents under the tree, her eyes grew bigger with fascination.

"Santa was here!" The little girl celebrated, smiling from ear to ear as she reached her parents.

"He was," Owen had fun with her innocence. Lucas and Thomas were already old enough not to buy the Santa idea anymore, but Megan and the twins still believed in it and Owen had to admit he loved that.

"Can we open the presents, dad?" Megan asked cheerfully, making herself comfortable on her father's lap.

"You got to wait for your brothers." Amelia smiled, leaning over to give her child an affectionate kiss on the head.

"Can we wake up the boys, then?" Megan reformulated her question, too excited to hide it.

Her parents weren't surprised with her plot and laughed at the smart question.

"You be a good girl and let them rest for a while longer, okay?" Amelia replied after noticing it was a bit past nine in the morning. "I am sure they will be up soon."

As Amelia had predicted, all four boys were up earlier than usual due to Christmas excitement. She was finishing making them pancakes for breakfast when she heard Owen explaining why they couldn't go to their grandmother's that day.

"What do you mean, we can't go to Grandma's? What about lunch?" Lucas asked, utterly alarmed. "What about Christmas lunch?!" The ten-year old boy looked from his father to his siblings, looking for support. "It's the best meal of all, I look forward to this day all year long!"

Owen interrupted his task of picking up plates and cups for the kids in the cabinets and looked back at his oldest son, trying to hide his amused smile.

"Maybe mom can cook this year."

Lucas' scowl of disappointment transformed into one of absolute horror.

"What?"

"Dad is joking." Thomas pointed out, laughing at his brother's expense.

"He better be." Lucas breathed in, noticing as their mother turned around from the stove and looked at them, extremely offended. "Christmas lunch is not something you joke about, Dad." The boy added, reprimanding his father with a steel gaze.

"You know what, since dad is obviously the preferred cook, maybe he should take over breakfast." Amelia suggested with a scowl, playfully sticking out her tongue in her husband's direction when the kids couldn't see her.

"Nooo, mom, your pancakes are the best. I want your pancakes!" Robbie intervened, oblivious to the bantering atmosphere around. "Please?"

Her son's honest compliment made Amelia forget all about Owen and Lucas' predicament. A while later, they finally gathered in the living room to open the presents and that was her favorite moment of the morning. Her kids' happy little faces were always her favorite vision. And amongst piles of toys, costumes and sports gear, she finally got to find out what her husband had gotten for her.

Owen noticed the puzzled expression on her face as Amelia untied the knot to the small green box and then unwrapped it.

"What's this?" Amelia narrowed her eyes, looking from the cute device that looked like a phone to her husband's expectant gaze. She was having a hard time accepting that even after she'd gotten her present, she still had no idea what it was.

"You see this little play button right here?" Owen took a step in her direction to be heard, aware the kids were making a big mess around them with their new toys. Amelia nodded affirmatively in response, smiling with a mix of curiosity and excitement to find out the object wasn't exactly a phone. "Click on it," he instructed.

As she did so, Amelia's smile grew wider when she heard the voice of her oldest son coming out of the device. With a startled expression, she looked from it to Owen, noticing how proud he looked.

"Just listen," he answered, reading the unspoken question in her eyes.

For the following seconds, Amelia heard the record of Lucas narrating a familiar children's book. When Owen noticed she'd recognized it, he skipped to the next file and this time around, Amelia heard another known voice reading a different book, only this time it was Thomas. Figuring it out, she skipped to the other files, delighted to find out each one of their kids had recorded their favorite story followed by a sweet message, even Megan who couldn't even read yet.

"This is so absolutely amazing," she smiled widely at her husband, stepping on the tip of her toes to give him a kiss on the lips. "How did you get this, where did you…?"

Owen breathed in the scent of her hair, far too amazed that she was genuinely enjoying his gift.

"Well, every night I see you reading your favorite books to them." He shared, unable to hide how much that was special to him. "It soothes them, the kids love it and so do I," he confessed, gently holding her chin between his finger and thumb. "So I thought, maybe you'd like to have them read the stories to you for a change. And now you can keep it and listen to it whenever you want."

Amelia pulled him in for a tight hug, expressing with her actions how much she'd loved his thoughtful gift. Owen also gave her a cute gold bracelet and a box with her favorite brand of chocolate.

"Now it's your turn." Amelia smiled from ear to ear, picking from under the tree one of the few presents left. "Guys, come here." She summoned her kids, wondering how they'd been able to keep the secret of the recorded books from her.

Owen noticed how anxious his wife looked and instantly figured out he was in for a surprise. The kids looked very excited too, so he winked at Megan, who looked at him with a large smile before he focused on the present in his hands.

"Ohh," The trauma surgeon's eyes got wide with appreciation when he saw what the package contained. "A Seahawks Jersey from the eighties…" He looked at his children with a wide grin. "Look, guys, that's Krieg, number 17. He was the starting quarterback for the Hawks when I was your age." Owen looked up and met his wife's eyes. "I cant believe you found this. It's amazing, babe, thank you."

The kids reacted just as Owen had anticipated and he was too caught up telling them about the team that his wife had to slightly raise her voice to be heard.

"Babe," Amelia stood beside him and gently caressed the hair on the back of his head as she looked from him to the Jersey. "Did you look on the inside to read what it says?"

Owen frowned in response, without the slightest clue what she was talking about. Flipping over the object, he looked for any kind of inscription that might be there and it was then that his eyes found dark letters that had been added with a permanent marker. To his delight, Owen recognized the signature of Dave Krieg, the starting quarterback who'd been an important part of his childhood. And next to it, a small handwritten note that completely threw him off his game.

 _Owen,_

 _This is the Jersey I wore on the game that got the Seahawks through our first ever playoff game. I know you were there with your dad that Christmas eve and I appreciate your support. Have a Merry Christmas and Go Hawks!_

 _Best wishes,_

 _Dave Krieg, 17._

Owen took a few seconds longer than usual to process the meaning of the whole gesture. Amelia thought it was a good thing her husband was sitting down, for Owen looked like he'd seen a ghost. Frowning heavily, he looked at his wife, knowing she could see he had a thousand questions in his eyes.

"Is this for real?" He managed to say after long seconds of hesitation. "Are you serious?"

"It's very real," Amelia replied with a giggle, having fun with how exasperated her husband looked.

Owen picked up the shirt again, holding the object like it was as fragile as crystal.

At that point, their kids had already gone back to their own presents and Amelia had to contain Danny and Robbie from destroying the house with a green racket each.

"But… How?" he looked up to find his wife's loving eyes. "When? How did you do this?"

After looking around to make sure their kids couldn't listen, Amelia bent down and whispered in her husband's ear and replied to his question.

"I had to sleep with a few people," she teased with a glowing smile. "Totally worth it, though."

"Amelia!"

She laughed heartily and sat down by her husband's side, briefly explaining how she'd come to treat a guy who'd played on the team and how he'd been able to pull a few strings and get her the jersey. After his initial shock had passed, Owen felt an immense gratitude for the lengths his wife had gone through to get him the present, and how amazing she had been to remember a story he'd long before shared with her.

"You're amazing," he told her, not the first time. Owen took another look at the shirt, thinking back about his father and how happy they'd both been on that winter day. "Come here."

Amelia felt her husband's arms tightly wrapping around her waist and she whispered loving words in his ears. They were just about to pull apart when the kids jumped in, making it a collective hug at the same time they loudly demanded their parents' attention.

"Do you like the new videogames?" Amelia kissed Thomas' hair and ruffled his hair affectionately before looking at the game in his hands. "Is it what you wanted?"

"It is, mom, thanks," the boy replied, visibly satisfied.

"You have to thank Santa," Megan corrected her brother, not letting go of the three cute dolls she was trying to hold at the same time. "Right, mom?"

"You're right," Thomas acquiesced to his sister's reprimand. "Of course. I am sorry, Santa." He said, before playfully rolling his eyes when Megan looked away.

For the rest of the day, Amelia had fun playing with her kids as they explored the new gifts they'd gotten that morning. Owen cooked them lunch and in the afternoon, when the storm gave a break after inches of snow were already gathered on the floor, she laughed at her sons' failed attempt to orchestrate a snowball fight when their feet couldn't even make it to the ground outside.

Amelia used one of the art craft kits the children had gotten to skillfully crop five different stars. She instructed the kids to write their wishes on each one and then hang them on the tree. When the neurosurgeon realized Megan was struggling to reach the high place the little girl had aimed for, she stepped up to pick up her daughter and helped her put the star on the highest branch, smiling to think that years before, she had been the little girl to go for the top of the tree.

After having a blast reading the wishes the boys had written on their stars, Amelia followed Owen upstairs and they helped the little ones get ready for bed. She couldn't remember the last time she and Owen had spent the entire day with the kids inside their house and she figured out that that Christmas could very well be added to their list of favorite holiday memories.

"I can't stand that movie anymore," Amelia whispered in her husband's ear, careful not to make too much noise. They were in the couple's king size bed, surrounded by their five children who made themselves comfortable as they watched Home Alone on the TV. "How many times have we had to watch it? Half a dozen?"

"More, I think," Owen looked at her, watching the way her eyes glowed in the dark. He looked around and noticed all five kids were half way to sleep, especially Megan who could barely keep her eyes open. "By the way, babe… thank you for everything."

Amelia noticed in the change of his tone that Owen was speaking from his heart. She turned her head to the side and discreetly gave him a peck on the lips, grateful for the man she'd married and everything he meant to her.

"You don't have to thank me," she looked around at their kids, very suggestively. "I didn't make them alone, you know?"

Owen chuckled and waited until her smile slowly vanished to add.

"I wasn't talking about the kids. I meant the presents," he explained, noticing in her eyes that she was well aware of that. "But thanks for the kids too, I guess." Owen made eye contact with her, grinning widely.

Amelia took a deep breath and searched for his hand in the darkness of the room. She gave his knuckles a kiss before revealing.

"Ever since the day you told me about that Christmas, I realized how you rarely talk about your dad," Amelia said, hoping not to upset him. Owen wasn't very comfortable letting his walls down and she knew it. They were having a lovely day, so she didn't want to force him into anything. "But then I saw the opportunity to make that memory even more special and I just couldn't let it pass."

"What do you mean?" Owen asked with curiosity, touched by her consideration.

"Well, it's just that…" Amelia breathed in and out before looking into his eyes, "this jersey represents how special that Christmas with your dad was, right? So it got me thinking…" she confessed after seeing he agreed with her assumption. "Maybe some day you can wear it to a game on Christmas and take our kids… So that the best Christmas you've had when you were a boy could become our kids' version of their happiest Christmas too."

Owen processed her words, emotionally moved by her confession.

"That is very sweet," he leaned over to kiss her, knowing in his heart that Amelia was the woman of his dreams. "Thank you, babe." Owen wrapped one arm around her shoulder and pulled her closer, feeling Amelia's back gently colliding against his chest. He looked around and noticed the kids had already fallen asleep, all five too tired after the long day they'd had. "There is only one thing we got to add to that to make it the best moment, though." He said, nibbling her ear before starting a trail of kisses on the column of her neck.

"Yeah?" Amelia raised her eyebrows, interested.

"You gotta be there too."

She turned her head on the curve of his arm and looked up to find his expressive blue eyes.

"You can count on it," Amelia affirmed, getting an affectionate smile in response. They moved on to the exhausting task of taking all the kids to bed and only after they were done, Amelia was able to properly lie down on her bed and relax. "Today's been a good day."

"It has," Owen agreed, crashing beside her. She didn't even need to look at him to notice how exhausted he was, because his voice already gave it away.

"Do you know what would make it even better?"

Owen frowned, looking at her with the same questioning eyes she'd just gazed him with moments before. Amelia was obviously up to something, or she wouldn't be biting her lower lip like that.

"You know how we were watching that Friends episode earlier today and there was this Santa Claus costume that…"

"You can't be serious," Owen interrupted her, already laughing too much. On the episode Amelia was referring to, one of the characters asked her husband to keep a Santa Claus costume to be later used in the bedroom.

Amelia saw the amusement in her eyes and went further, determined to torment him. She rolled over in his direction and seductively blinked before whispering against his ear, knowing her words would be properly interpreted by her husband.

"I was a very good girl this year."

Owen laughed at her shameless provocation and propped his head on his elbow, turning sideways to face her.

"You're _never_ good," he reminded her.

"Ohh." Amelia's devilish smile made another appearance and Owen instantly realized he was in for another round of pestering. "I guess you're going to have to do something about that, then."

Owen laughed loudly, unable to hide how much he enjoyed her company. After kissing her lips, he placed one lock of hair behind her ear, gently caressing the side of her face with his knuckles as he looked into her eyes.

"So, which one is it going to be?" he narrowed his eyes and saw the way she laughed at his pretend seriousness. "Are you in need of a naughty Santa Claus or a disciplinary spanking?"

Amelia laughed her heart out, wrapping both arms around his neck to pull her husband closer for another kiss. She knew she was a handful, but what amused her the most was how positively Owen responded to that. There was no one else she'd rather spend that Christmas night with.

"You are all in one," she let him know, looking at her husband with the loving eyes of someone who knew how fortunate she was. Amelia relaxed against her pillow, feeling the weight of Owen's body on hers right before he kissed her neck, making her forget all about her playful fantasies. "Merry Christmas, babe."

Owen looked up to see her eyes and smiled one last time before losing himself in the comfort of her arms. He'd had some pretty amazing Christmas memories throughout his life. But after Amelia had come to his life, she'd somehow manage to make that time of year have an even more special meaning to him. And he loved her for it.

"Merry Christmas."

—

fact check: Dave Krieg really was the starter QB who led the Seahawks on their first ever playoff game (and playoff win!) against the Denver Broncos. And the timeline does fit Owen being a kid at the time before losing his father :) Everything I wrote about football history in this Drabble wasn't made up, it really happened !

Merry Christmas everyone! and Go Hawks!


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